THE HUNTINGTON WELCOMES EMMA RICE’S THRILLING STAGE ADAPTATION OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S NORTH BY NORTHWEST IN SPECIAL PRESENTATION NEXT SPRING 2027
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Gabrielle Choi, Associate Director of Publicity
617-273-1520
PHOTOS available for download here
Members of the press, RSVP here
THE HUNTINGTON WELCOMES EMMA RICE’S THRILLING STAGE ADAPTATION OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S NORTH BY NORTHWEST IN SPECIAL PRESENTATION NEXT SPRING 2027
The North American tour of the sensational stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest will take the stage at The Huntington next season
(BOSTON) – The Huntington will host an inventive stage adaptation of the acclaimed spy thriller, Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, adapted and directed with humor and cinematic flair by Emma Rice. An Emma Rice Company, Kay & McLean Productions, and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions co-production based on the Turner Entertainment Co film North By Northwest, this North American tour will run at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave) from Thursday, January 21 to Sunday, February 7, 2027.
Theatre legend Emma Rice helms a high-velocity take on the Alfred Hitchcock classic North by Northwest in an acclaimed production hailed as “glorious” (The Times of London) and “effortlessly chic” (The Daily Mail). When ad man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a Cold War spy, he goes on the run dodging airplanes, bad guys, and a femme fatale who may not be what she seems. With seven shape-shifting performers, a swinging ‘50s soundtrack, and the iconic backdrop of Mount Rushmore, Rice transforms the beloved thriller into a riotously funny high-speed theatrical ride.
“I am thrilled, excited, and perhaps a little apprehensive to bring the iconic North by Northwest home to the US!” says producer Emma Rice. “I just hope that American audiences will love it as much as our British audiences did. What I am not apprehensive about is bringing its message: one of nations coming together in peace and friendship to make the world a better place. I think we can all raise a glass to that! And Boston, a place brimming with history and cultural energy, is the perfect fit for this timely piece. Expect sparks and larks as we bring our British humour to this American masterpiece. Boston, here we come!”
Called “an espionage crowd-pleaser!” by The Guardian and “a heck of a lot of fun – a bravura staging that will keep you grinning at its inventiveness” by The Telegraph, Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest was originally co-produced in the UK by Emma Rice Company (called Wise Children at the time), York Theatre Royal, HOME Manchester, and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, and Alexandra Palace Theatre in 2025. Since its West End premiere, the production has been produced around the UK and is now on its North American tour, playing at American Conservatory Theatre in 2026 before coming to The Huntington in Boston in 2027.
The original film, released in 1959 and starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, is regarded as one of Hitchcock’s finest, following an innocent man as he’s pursued cross-country in a case of mistaken identity that threatens to become deadly at any moment. The film is perhaps most famous for its Bernard Hermann score, and for scenes of Grant being chased by a small airplane in a cornfield and a climax that has the characters scurrying down the faces of Mount Rushmore, both of which have proved to be some of the most iconic visuals in cinematic history.
It’s particularly exciting to welcome a Hitchcock adaptation back to The Huntington. In 2007, The Huntington produced the United States premiere of Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps directed by Maria Aitken, which later went on to be nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two. At the time, The Boston Globe lauded the production as a “triumph of imagination.” Audiences who loved The Huntington’s hit production of The 39 Steps can expect a similarly inventive, fast-paced theatrical experience in North by Northwest, with a small cast transforming into a myriad of characters.
Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is part of The Huntington Selects, a series of curated touring productions The Huntington partners with to bring exciting and unique experiences to Boston audiences. This series is offered as an add-on to The Huntington’s subscription season, and Huntington FlexPass holders are able to redeem their tickets for these performances and events. Past selects productions include: Kim’s Convenience, My First Ex-Husband, The RESET, Mindplay, and Yippee Ki Yay.
The creative team for Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest includes set and costume designer Rob Howell, composer and sound designer Simon Baker, lighting designer Malcolm Rippeth, choreographer, movement director, and intimacy coordinator Etta Murfitt, and creative consultant Mark Kaufman. The cast will be announced in the coming months.
Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Kay & McLean Productions.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Emma Rice (Adaptor and Director) is the proud Artistic Director of her company, Emma Rice Company, and an internationally respected theatre-maker and director.
For Emma Rice Company, Emma has adapted and directed the productions A Child’s Christmas in Wales, North by Northwest, The Buddha of Suburbia, Blue Beard, The Little Matchgirl and Happier Tales, Wuthering Heights, Bagdad Cafe, Romantics Anonymous, Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers, and Angela Carter’s Wise Children. As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe: Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). As joint Artistic Director of Kneehigh: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline(in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son.
Emma received the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre award at the 2019 UK Theatre Awards and in 2022 was named one of Sky Arts’ ‘50 most influential British artists of the last 50 years. Emma recently won Best Direction at the 2025 Whatson Stage awards.
DETAILS ABOUT ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S NORTH BY NORTHWEST
WHEN
Performances: January 21 – February 7, 2027
Evenings: Tuesday – Saturday at 7pm
Matinees: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm
Days and times vary; see complete schedule above.
Runtime: 2 hours 30 minutes, with one intermission
Press Opening: Friday, January 22, 2027 at 7pm (RSVP here)
WHERE
Huntington Theatre
264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
TICKETS
Tickets to in-person performances start at $35 and are on sale:
- Online at huntingtontheatre.org
- By phone at 617-266-0800
- Or in person at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave) or Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont St)
Select discounts apply:
- $40 HYPE tickets for patrons 40 years old and younger (valid ID required)
- $29 student and military tickets (valid ID required)
- $29 rush tickets (1 hour prior to curtain, subject to availability)
The Huntington asks that any patron experiencing COVID symptoms stay home and contact ticketing services for more information about exchanges.
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
Any members of the media who are interested in speaking with the creatives behind Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, please contact Associate Director of Publicity Gabrielle Choi at gchoi@huntingtontheatre.org or 617-273-1520.
Press night for critics is Friday, January 22, 2027 at 7pm. Please RSVP here for press night or other available performances.
Production photos will be available for download online, and b-roll footage can be requested.
PHOTOS available for download here
ABOUT EMMA RICE COMPANY
The Emma Rice Company (formally Wise Children) is the theatre company created and led by multi-award-winning director Emma Rice. One of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations, we make ground-breaking work with exceptional artists and tour it across the UK and internationally. Alongside our shows we run a unique professional development programme, nurturing a new and more diverse generation of theatre practitioners.
ABOUT THE HUNTINGTON
Celebrating over 40 years of outstanding theatre, The Huntington is Boston’s leading professional theatre company. On our stages and throughout our city, we share enduring and untold stories that spark the imagination of audiences and artists and amplify the wide range of voices in our community.
Under the leadership of Norma Jean Calderwood Artistic Director Loretta Greco and Executive Director Christopher Mannelli, The Huntington is committed to welcoming broad and diverse audiences, provides life-changing opportunities for students through its robust education and community programs, is a national leader in the development of playwrights and new plays, and serves the local arts community through our operation of The Huntington Calderwood/BCA.
The Huntington reopened the historic Huntington Theatre in fall of 2022 after its transformational renovation, and is currently in phase two of the project; the renovation and building project of this storied venue with a bold vision for the future will allow us to innovatively expand our services to audiences, artists, and the community for generations to come. For more information, visit huntingtontheatre.org.
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