Review: North By Northwest, Alexandra Palace Theatre

Emma Rice and Alfred Hitchcock seem like a dream pairing. They are both ‘name-above-the-title’ directors with signature styles that fans keep coming back for, both bring a sense of mischief to their work, and both have an eye for a great visual. Sadly, for audiences at the Alexandra Palace, it seems only Hitch has the narrative nous to successfully pull off a twisty story like North by Northwest. Still, there’s whimsical fun to be had in Rice’s stage version, in London after a short UK tour. 

For starters, I doubt you’ll see a harder-working cast anywhere right now. Katy Owen is the standout, tackling the role of the enigmatic Professor – part spy chief, part narrator, and part compère for some, it has to be said, half-hearted audience participation. Cast wildly against type, she is the show’s unlikely hero and comic centre. She has a lot to do because, for long stretches, the show forgets the old scriptwriting maxim of “if you can play it, don’t say it.”  Owen spends far too much time leadenly describing action we can see perfectly well going on in front of us.  

Ewan Wardrop is our plucky hero. He’s a charmer who cocks a boyish eyebrow at his fate. He’s no Cary Grant, but who is these days? In fact, nobody is really referencing the film too closely here, except perhaps Patrycja Kujawska in the femme fatale role. This is not a criticism; her sensual, ice-cool blonde take on Eva Kendall is direct from central casting. The entire cast, very much an ensemble, plays multiple roles with aplomb. I particularly enjoyed Karl Queensborough tackling our protagonist’s ageing bridge-playing mother alongside arch villain Vandamm, for example. 

The dialogue switches between dense exposition, presumably from Ernest Lehman’s original film script, and panto levels of daftness. I counted at least three “You can say that again” gags. Physical gags get stretched, too. It’s cute to have scene locations printed on suitcases once or twice. Every time begins to grate. Rob Howell’s set, however, featuring big, bold, ever-turning revolving doors, remains a classy marvel throughout. Never-resting panels create everything from New York bars to interstate train carriages, and their constant motion keeps the eye engaged, even when the story stumbles.

Much is made of 1950s music in the show’s publicity. So much so, I half-expected a musical. In fact, that’s precisely what we get – half a musical. Why settle for drag-queen-style lip-synching, though?  It’s funny once or twice, but as a repeated device, it soon wears thin. Bright young musical theatre composers and lyricists would bite your hand off for a crack at writing a few original songs, surely? Resorting to tape feels like a missed opportunity. There is plenty of dancing, though. It’s expertly choreographed by Etta Murfitt, who stays on the right side of Austin Powers’ parody to make everyone look pretty groovy, baby.  

Emma Rice’s North by Northwest is a stylish, inventive romp with a witty heart and, thankfully, an enthusiastic ensemble. This is Rice in light, frothy form, rather than at her most disciplined. As a result, everyone on stage is having too much fun to outrun the tightly plotted shadow of her source material. Without Hitchcock’s mastery of suspense, the show, frankly, feels half an hour too long, and there’s little to actually care about beyond a playful, yet thin homage to the original. If you book expecting a theatrical thriller, you’ll be disappointed. Book it for fun, silliness, and half a musical, and you’re more likely to have a good time.

You can read an Everything Theatre interview with Ewan Wardrop about the show here.

Directed & Adapted by: Emma Rice
Set & Costume Design by: Rob Howell
Composed & Sound Design by: Simon Baker
Lighting Design by: Malcolm Rippeth
Movement Direction, Choreography & Intimacy Coordination by: Etta Muritt
Creative Consultant: Mark Kaufman
Fight Director: Kev McCurdy

North by Northwest Plays At The Alexandra Palace Theatre until Sunday 22 June.