Emma Rice's NORTH BY NORTHWEST to be Presented at The Huntington

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 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. 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.
 
 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.