Rachel Pickup to join The 39 Steps

Rachel Pickup to join The 39 Steps

Rachel Pickup is to take over from Catherine McCormack in The 39 Steps, from 15 Jan 2007.

The rest of the cast remains unchanged: Rupert Degas, Charles Edwards, Simon Gregor

Rachel Pickup, daughter of Ronald Pickup who played Bayliss in the 1978 film version of The 39 Steps alongside Robert Powell, has this year appeared as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Helen of Troy in Troilus & Cressida, both for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her other theatre work includes Portia in King Lear, also for the RSC and Lyric Hammersmith. Her television credits include Dogtown, Rosemary & Thyme, Holby City and Coupling.

This comic adaptation of The 39 Steps opened at the Fringe venue, The Tricycle Theatre, 14 Aug 2006, where it ran to 9 Sep 2006 before transferring to The Criterion Theatre, in the West End from 14 Sep 2006, where it is currently booking to to 21 April 2007.

It is written by John Buchan and adapted by Patrick Barlow, from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon.

It is directed by Maria Aitken, designed by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Ian Scott, produced by Edward Snape for Fiery Angel Ltd and The Tricycle Theatre.

The 39 Steps is best known as Hitchcock's 1935 classic move thriller. This brand new version is performed by four actors playing a minimum of 150 roles and contains every single legendary scene from the award-winning movie - including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on the Forth Bridge, the first theatrical bi-plane crash ever staged and the sensational death-defying finale in the London Palladium, besides many other favourite cinematic moments, including the memorable and controversial 'stockings and suspenders' scene!