Alfred Hitchcock may have been somewhat of a pioneer in the film world but, my word did he give blondes a bad rep. Sculpted to Hitchcock’s own liking, golden-haired beauties became deceptive, criminal, kleptomaniac psychopaths within a matter of minutes. Multi-award winning director Terry Johnson saw this as the perfect platform for a play, resulting in the 2003 run of Hitchcock Blonde at London’s Royal Court.
Now set to bring this blend of suspense, sexual obsession and cinematic fantasy to Wales is the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with their forthcoming performances at the Chapter Arts Centre. Directed by Bruce Guthrie, the production is bound to excite and entice audiences with its combination of sharp wit and shocking twists. Hitchcock Blonde is set across three different time periods and, as a result, touches on the relationships and views that shaped the eras. Through the recreation of a lost Hitchcock film, the 1919 segment explores the film maker’s fascination with blonde women while 1959 oversees the filming of Psycho’s infamous shower scene. Finally, the play moves towards the present day with 1999’s middle-aged university lecturer suspiciously desperate for the assistance of one of his students in order to restore yet another “lost” Hitchcock film; this time on a charming Greek island.
Hitchcock Blonde has been described by The Sunday Times with the witty and endlessly quotable phrase “Dial M for Marvellous”. Indeed, theatre-goers are in for a bittersweet treat, particularly when witnessing the more risqué elements of the production including full-frontal nudity, multiple murders and tales of male manipulation. The stories that compose Hitchcock Blonde are simultaneously witty and tragic, providing a fascinating, if somewhat tongue-in-cheek, insight into the mind of one of the world’s most extraordinary film-makers. A must-see, both for fans and the uninitiated.
Wed 8-Sat 18 Dec, Chapter Stiwdio, Chapter Arts Centre, Canton.
Tickets: £10/£8/£6. Info: 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd.ac.uk / www.chapter.org