Theatre review: North by Northwest, Auckland Theatre Company

The cast of the Auckland Theatre Company's production of North by Northwest. Photo / Andi Crown.

New Zealand loves to recognise those in the arts after they’ve made it big overseas - Taika Waititi, Lorde, Rose Matafeo, the list is pretty endless. One name that we don’t recognise enough is Simon Phillips. After starting his career here in 1984, Phillips has made a name for himself around the world directing some of Australia’s biggest ever theatrical productions - notably bringing the camp 90s classics, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Muriel’s Wedding to the stage.

After decades spent overseas, New Zealanders can revel in Phillips’ talents firsthand thanks to the Auckland Theatre Company’s production of his Alfred Hitchcock adaptation, North by Northwest.

On paper, North by Northwest doesn’t seem like the sort of show that would work on stage. If you are like me and have never seen the movie, the only things you likely know about the film are the famous scene of the machine gun being fired from the crop duster, or the finale set piece across Mount Rushmore. Even with the bigger budgets ATC can bring to the table, that’s not something that can easily be replicated here.

And the solutions in bringing it to life are where the magic lies in this production. Phillips, playwright Carolyn Burns and co-set designer Nick Schlieper have crafted a brilliant show that uses every theatrical trick in the book to transform Hitchcock’s thriller into an ever-evolving spectacle. Using a giant screen and a live feed that turns small scale props into large-scale backdrops, the joy in sitting through this production comes largely from seeing how the cast and crew are able to bring every setpiece and scene to life.

Antonia Prebble and Ryan O'Kane in North by Northwest. Photo / Andi Crown.

The magnetic cast is really the cherry on top here. Ryan O’Kane and Antonia Prebble lead as Roger Thornhill, the advertising executive caught up in a case of mistaken identity, and Eve Kendall, the mysterious blonde who Thornhill becomes infatuated with. The two are a truly dynamic pairing and capture the essence of those classic American screen stars. They are joined by an incredibly talented supporting cast that portray roughly a dozen characters each. As an audience member, you feel a little breathless by how quick the changes are here, but each actor on that stage delivers a distinct character each time they reappear.

While this may be a thriller on paper, the plot is breezy and entertaining, giving more of a musical feel than your straight dramatic play. It perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise from the man who took Priscilla to Broadway, but there are some moments of pure camp that further test the limits of the fourth wall.

There are times - particularly near the end - where things are played more for laughs than they probably need to be, rather than diluting the rest of the production and why we should care about the events. But it’s an unfortunate last-minute stumble that ultimately doesn’t detract from the joy and creativity on display throughout this marvellous production.

A lot is packed into this production, but North by Northwest zips past at a rapid-fire pace and pulls the audience willingly along for the ride. Phillips and co have crafted a truly amazing show, and while it may seem a cliche, it really is one that needs to be witnessed to be believed, the myriad of tricks and surprises something only a true theatrical genius can pull off.

What: North by Northwest

Where: ASB Waterfront Theatre, until November 19