Critics will tell you it’s one of the best films ever made, and now Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller 'North By Northwest' is live on stage at QPAC.
The show includes all the best scenes from the movie, from the drunken car rides and on-train love affair, to the (literal) cliffhanging ending off a very life-like Mt Rushmore, and is executed in stunning style with an extraordinarily talented cast.
The show features acclaimed Australian actors Matt Day in the leading role of man on the run, Roger O. Thornhill and Amber McMahon as femme fatale Eve Kendall, both reprising their leading roles from the Melbourne seasons of 'North By Northwest'. The stellar cast also includes Queensland actors Christen O’Leary (Maggie and various roles) and Leon Cain (Janitor and various other roles), alongside Abigail McKern (Mrs Thornhill), Robert Menzies (Professor), Tom Davey (Leonard), Nicholas Bell (Newsreader), Peter Houghton (Gruzinski), Ezra Bix (Budnikov) and Roddy Peters (Bell Boy).
Image © Darren Thomas
This production, adapted for the stage by Carolyn Burns and directed by Simon Phillips (the dynamic duo behind 'Ladies In Black') combines the magic of film and theatre in a way that the Lyric Theatre has never seen before. The quick scene changes, completely run by the cast, is something to marvel at, as the audience is taken from an auction room, to the cafeteria by Mount Rushmore, and then welcomed into an intimate bed carriage in mere seconds.
Props are used in extraordinary manner, with live projection from the side of the stage adding an intimate and comedic touch to the somewhat serious plot line of the play. These, along with the perfectly crafted wardrobe and precise sound effects, make for an easy and entertaining viewing for the audience, as Carolyn and Simon strip back the plot line to emphasise the most important (and humorous) parts of the story. Whether or not audiences have seen the original film, there was no issues with following the plot line and identifying characters, as it was so exquisitely put together.
Incorporating all the best parts of Hitchcock’s original film, with the addition of some humorous and very entertaining pieces, 'North By Northwest' is a must-see show for theatre-lovers and Hitchcock-geeks alike!
