39 Steps - Plot

The play starts off with a character Richard Hannay who is the main character in the story. He is watching a show which includes a character called Mr Memory and Mr Memory’s assistant. During mid performance Hannay is met by a spy (Annabella Schmidt) who sits next to him in the audience. She is being followed by some rather powerful and dodgy people who want to kill her so she asks if she can go back to Hannay’s flat. He accepts but not realising it’s for her safety and thinks that she’s moving onto him. When they get back to Hannay’s flat, she explains to Hannay about the situation she is in. He falls asleep and wakes up in the middle of the night and is then left stuck on a chair as Annabella has been murdered and is holding a piece of paper that gives to co – ordinates to a professor’s house as he knows everything about the 39 steps. As he begins his travels, her body is discovered and he is now a suspect for the murder. He can’t go to the police as they will arrest him. He ends up getting a train up to Scotland in which he is found and manages to escape. He takes shelter in a small farm like house in which he is met by Margaret a young lady who seems to take a fancy to him. However he husband is very sly and gives Hannay’s location away in order to try and collect some sort of reward. Hannay then eventually reaches the house that belongs to the professor and is shot because he’s seen as a threat to the 39 steps. 

He wakes up in a police station and is being interrogated when he runs out and ends up finding himself at some sort of award ceremony and has to give a speech in which he makes up completely. A young lady (Pamela) that he had bumped into on his train journey up to Scotland recognized him and gives him away. When talking to her so that she can identify him, these two police officers persuade her to come with Hannay. They end up attempting to try and kidnap both of them; however they are stuck in the middle of nowhere in a rather foggy weather and with a flock of sheep preventing the car going anyway. Whilst the two police officers attempt to clear the way, Hannay and Pamela make a quick escape and run towards the country side. They end up stumbling into a small bed and breakfast named “The McGarigall” hotel. They slightly confess to Mrs McGarigal that they are on the run but don’t mention that they ware wanted by the police. The two police officers then end up arriving at the hotel and are given away by Willie (Mrs McGarigal’s husband). However before they are able to get the couple, they are forced to leave. The next day at the London Palladium Mr Memory is putting on a show and Hannay then realises that the plan to the 39 steps are all in Mr Memories brain as he can remember it all. In a small shoot out/fight, Mr Memory is shot, in his final moments he is able to explain what the 39 steps are and then dies.