THE 39 STEPS at the Theatre on Chester, Epping is a crackerjack production with a cracking good performance at its centre. It’s hilarious, cleverly conceived, fast paced and, I do believe, the most fun I have ever had in the suburbs on a Friday night.

Richard Hannay is jaded, filled with ennui and world weary after his travels. With a wink to the audience, he decides to take in a night at the theatre … it’s an “antidote to boredom” right? He will meet a mysterious veiled woman and being bored will no longer be his problem as he finds himself accused of her murder. He is suddenly on a train to the Scottish Highlands following the clues which the aforementioned, now deceased Annabella Schmidt has intimated!

THE 39 STEPS is an Olivier, Drama Desk and Tony award winner. It is a rollicking show, which takes the Hitchcock classic film and puts it on stage with only four cast members. Owing a great deal to BULLSHOT CRUMMOND, the riotous production is alive with Hitchcockian allusions, some wonderful sight gags and jokes ranging from groaners to rapid fire puns.

So fast is the pace that you need a cast which can do almost anything. From leaping athletically off the stage to throwing himself insouciantly into an oversized armchair, Martin Bell is a wonderful, surprisingly randy, Hannay. He has an instant rapport with the audience and is completely likeable from the opening. The charming, debonair host of his own story with a very attractive pencil moustache.

Bell never mugs but has a remarkable variety of facial expressions as Hannay gets into some very sticky situations where command of the physical comedy is vital. He hurls himself around the stage, hitting every mark and leaving no joke behind. He shreds at tiptoeing across the fog soaked moor and launching himself across ravines. The sheep fence scene is a masterclass!

For that sequence he is aided and abetted by Julie Moore. As the three female leads, Moore is Bell’s match. Equally adept at throwing herself into the characters, into the set and into handcuffs, her prototype heroine is feisty and not taking Hannay’s nonsense lying down. She even manages to travel an emotional arc, which is pretty impressive given the chaos befalling her.

All the other characters are played by the two clowns, Tracey Okeby Lucan and Charli Lucas. They are a delight from before the show when their silent whistleblowing persuasion of the audience to turn off phones sets a comic, warm and engaging tone. They have such a huge range of characters, accents, physicality, props and set to deal with and each element is bossed by these redoubtable performers. And that’s before we even get to discuss the costume elements.

A hat here, another hat, yet another hat and so on become a range of people with whom Hannay will interact in a series of one liners. They have such a range of costume to help their very clever character distinguishing. Their angry-obstacle assassination of the nature of the Scottish highlanders, for example, is gentle and loving clad in a seemingly infinite variety of plaid accoutrements.

The production design of this show is excellent and so suited to the venue. There are Foley and sound effects artists visible and sometimes part of the joke as they miscue and comedically intrude on the action. The set is atmospheric yet utilitarian and it stays out of the way of the cast until needed, allowing a full range of on-stage movement. The action and travel is really well plotted by the way … Annabella and Hannay pace around his room in a very funny and skilfull mating dance. So clever.

The palette for the set and costumes is a true homage to the noir of Hitch. Black, grey and white. Even the bloody bits. The pinpoint props are simple, effective and give some of the low comedy enjoyment of the show. Hannay’s escape through various windows is a very amusing reprise which draws a laugh as soon as it is telegraphed. On a purely technical level, director Carla Moore has made the choice not to fuss with the small stuff. No coins or fiddly bits of business to disturb the drive of the chase.

And it is a wild ride. The Theatre on Chester really has created a really fun show which sends you out into the suburban cold with the warmth of a night well spent. I loved it. Go and see THE 39 STEPS which continues until 26th of August.