This show is not the heartwarming tale that we saw in It's a Wonderful Life. Here we have spies, murder, love, and other trademarks of Alfred Hitchcock that come to life in the style of a 1940s radio broadcast. The production is a triple feature with The Lodger, Sabotage and The 39 Steps.
Lori Poulin directed the six actors in her first full length show at the PSC and did a great job. Some of her challenges included a daring train chase, a serial killer's ominous prescence (ably played by the brilliant Ed Bassett,) and a devastating explosion that are pulled off with the magic of live sound effects and effective musical scoring. Oh and the fact that she needed to direct two directors probably didn't make it any easier. Ms. Poulin will be directing at least one of the one act plays coming up soon at the Phoenix.
This cast is comprised of Phoenix stage veterans, all talented enough to carry off the multiple characters that the script demands. The radio audience would have only heard their voice acting, but we as the audience got to see their full performance. The vintage costumes by Mr. Bassett added to the authenticity, as did the lighting and the set.
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Foley artists Bronwyn Deering (played by Alana Kingsley) and Elsbeth Baxter (played by founding PSC partner Agnes Dann, who doubled as stage manager) had a lot to do on cue and they pulled it off nicely. Ms. Kingsley most recently appeared as Cora in Death and Taxes and Ms. Dann will be directing The Promise in May. Here the two even helped with the crowd scenes and a few stray animal sounds.
Leland “Mike” Schick played Fergus MacGregor, both WBFR radio show host and actor. This gentleman mastered a host of voices for the role, as did all the members of this ensemble cast. Roseanne Elliot played actress Poppy Ellsworth and Kathy Cook played Eugenie Grant in velvet and a fox stole. Both ladies are so good at what they do and this show gave them a chance to show it off. As Rupert Hughes, Ed Bassett was on fire.
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I enjoyed the action of the show, although I had to concentrate hard to follow everything as I was not familiar with these Hitchcock works. His fans will enjoy seeing them again. Resist the urge to close your eyes because you will miss the priceless faces of these fine actors. The commercials were well done and even required some singing.
Congratulations to Ms. Poulin and this cast on a fine production.
Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play runs April 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19, 2014 at 8:00pm and April 6, 13, 2014 at 2:00pm.
