The 39 Steps Sets Closing Date in London's West End

After a nine year run (and 38 pairs of handcuffs) in London, Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps will shutter at the Criterion Theatre on September 5. At time of closing, the show will have played the fifth highest number of performances of any play in West End history.

Helmed by Maria Aitken and adapted by Patrick Barlow from the 1935 Hitchcock film thriller, The 39 Steps follows the incredible adventures of dashingly handsome hero Richard Hannay as he goes on the run from police, dodges double-crossing secret agents and becomes entangled with several devastatingly beautiful women. The cast of four actors reenact all of the characters, locations and famous scenes in the movie using just a few props a lot of theatrical ingenuity and split second quick changes.

The cast currently includes Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, Kelly Hotten, Mike Goodenough and Gary Sefton.

The 39 Steps began life at London's Tricycle Theatre in August of 2006 before transferring to the Criterion. The show recently returned to New York where it is playing at the Union Square Theatre.