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.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/M2JWWWLVQ5DPPHHO6QA6LWOCLI.jpg?auth=e5e41567436993e87751884fa15b1ba214df5181c1bbc4c7025e2385fa8cae0d&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)