Theatrical genius stages complex tale

It is no mean feat to bring Hitchcock's great spy thriller North by Northwest to the stage, with its intricate plot and reliance on special effects and technology not least a crop duster plane and a huge truck.

- By Nancy Connolly

If anyone can do this it is the multi-award winning Emma Rice and her Bristol based Wise Children theatre company.

In this world premiere of a new adaptation of Hitchcock's famous story (the 1959 film starring Cary Grant and James Mason is a classic), Rice really has gone off piste from her usual work and the result is a visual, sound and writing delight.

Rice has a habit of turning classics on their head (Wuthering Heights, The Little Matchgirl, Malory Towers), we remember and thoroughly enjoyed her Blue Beard when it came to Bath last year.

To take on Hitchcock, one of the greatest storytellers of all time, is a brave task.

In this production we see the story told by just six incredibly versatile and talented actors.

In a feat of theatrical genius they act out one of the most complicated spy thriller stories, and with just a few props and brilliant sound effects the audience really does suspend disbelief and is totally immersed in the story.