Photo Jeff Busby
The frenetic opening sequence of MTC’s production North by Northwest sets the thrilling pace for this clever and humorous homage to the classic Hitchcock film.
It seems an almost impossible task to adapt North by Northwest to the stage – it is an iconic film, made by one of the most famous directors of all time. It is also a very filmic film; Hitchcock and writer Ernest Lehmen literally started with scenes they wanted to see, such as the Mount Rushmore chase, and then worked to build the narrative from there.
Carolyn Burns and director Simon Phillips have responded to this challenge with inventiveness and humour. They have not tried to recreate the film but celebrate it, their North By Northwest doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is very clever, but never alienatingly so, and it always invites the audience to share in the joke.
Nick Schlieper’s set, inspired by Saul Bass’ award winning opening credits, is sparse and versatile with multi purpose props arranged and moved by the cast in lightning fast transitions from scene to scene. The set is augmented by a vivid soundscape and projected graphics by Ian McDonald (Composer and Sound Designer) and Josh Burns (Audio Visual Designer). Cameras and green screens, revealed to stage left and right, allow for live footage of props and minute moveable dioramas to be projected. Harking back to the “smoke and mirrors” special effects techniques of early cinema, these audio visual elements add a filmic quality and allow this production to tackle some of the more challenging scenes of North by Northwest, such as the crop dusting plane and the chase on Mount Rushmore – both highlights of the incredible stagecraft of this production.
This is a highly entertaining show and the cast are evidently enjoying themselves. This is truly an ensemble piece, with actors switching between multiple characters and lending a hand operating the dioramas. The acting is at times hammy but well toned and fitting with the ethos of the production. There is also a genuine chemistry between the leads Matt Day (Roger Thornhill) and Amber McMahon (Eve Kendall).
It is not necessary to know and love the film to thoroughly enjoy this adaptation, but it will increase your admiration of just how good a job they’ve done.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
North by Northwest
A Melbourne Theatre Company production
Adapted for the stage by Carolyn Burns
Directed by Simon Phillips
Cast includes Matt Day, Matt Hetherington and Amber McMahon
Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse
1 June – 4 July 2015
