Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a bomb on a bus. If the bus drops below 50 miles per hour, it explodes. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?
The answer is jump on board 'Speed: The Movie, The Play', a rollicking comedic homage to the 1994 action thriller 'Speed', starring Keanu Reeves.
The immersive show turns the audience into the passengers held hostage by a mad bomber – and yes, it’s all set on an actual bus.
“It’s been a long, COVID-delayed road to Adelaide Fringe, but we’re so excited to finally be parking our vintage bus at the amazing Gluttony hub,” Producer and Co-Writer Natalie Bochenski says.
“We hope we’ll be one of the most unique comedies at this year’s festival.”
The show was created by Act React, a Brisbane-based company that specialises in pop culture-inspired performance.
“Our aim was to recreate a big Hollywood blockbuster on a shoestring budget, and invite the audience to ride along with us in a blaze of '90s cheesiness and fun,” Bochenski says.
“You’re with Keanu on the bus as he battles the bad guy, Dennis, and it’s up to everyone to help Keanu save the day.”
'Speed: The Movie, The Play' has been a smash hit in its hometown, and has already toured twice to Perth, as well as Sydney and Townsville.
Bochenski says the company partners with local historic bus societies to turn the classic old vehicles into nostalgia-rich venues.
“We’ve partnered with the Bus Preservation Association of South Australia (BPASA) to use a 1977 Volvo B59, built especially for Adelaide,” she says.
In an amazing coincidence, the show was actually first developed on the same model of bus, which had ended up in Queensland at the end of its life.
“We know these buses took kids to school and were a visible part of life in Adelaide in the '70s through to the '90s, and we’re excited to see how people react to seeing one up close again,” she says.
“A portion of the show’s ticket sales will also be donated to BPASA to ensure they can protect South Australia’s bus heritage for years to come.”
The show rockets along, with a joke count off the scale. Bochenski says audiences love the high-octane, low-fi tone of the show, including its audience interaction.
“Our joy comes from making passengers the stars, by giving them lines or small tasks to do to help Keanu,” she says.
“It makes the show a little bit different every night, and I think you can tell our performers are having just as much fun as the audience!”
'Speed: The Movie, The Play' plays Speed Bus at Gluttony - Rymill Park (Adelaide Fringe) 21 February-5 March.
