Wes Anderson meets Hitchcock meets Spaghetti Western in this fast-paced whodunnit with live music that’s coming to Aberdeen Arts Centre later this month.
Created by Voloz Collective, The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much is an intercontinental, inter-genre, cinematic adventure of accusations, accidents, and accents.
The show centres on Roger Clement – a Frenchman in 1960’s New York – who has followed the same mundane routine for years, until a minor delay saves him from an explosion, throwing his ordered world into chaos.
Sam Rayner, the award-winning show’s co-writer, co-director and actor, said: “Roger believes this explosion has killed a number of his colleagues so he goes off to track down his would-be assassins.
“It’s his journey where the absurdity begins. He goes from New York to Paris to London and then to Russia and Wild West America – via outer space.
“We create all of these ridiculous locations with our bodies and acrobatics and the score.”
Blurred lines: Voloz Collective to take theatre fans on cinematic journey
Travelling the world in a quest to find the people responsible for the explosion, Roger even changes the course of history.
“His actions mean that a very important historical event doesn’t take place,” revealed Sam who also works as a movement director and helped to create Jack Whitehall’s 2017 Netflix special At Large.
The talented creative said that one of Voloz Collective’s main stylistic aims is to blur the lines between live theatre and cinema.
“During the show we move through different cinematic styles – there’s a lot of Wes Anderson, but we’re also very inspired by Tarantino, old Spaghetti Westerns and even Charlie Chaplin.
“As we move, we try to recreate what it feels like watching a film.
“One of our audience members said that the thing they enjoyed the most about the show was that every member of the audience saw their unique film. We really think it expands imagination in that way.
“We present the framework but every member of the audience will see a different detail.”
Expect wonderful stunts and acrobatics
The show is full of stunts and acrobatics – think flips, cartwheels, handstands and a lot more.
In addition to stunning movements, the unique show has an original score – almost like its own cinematic underscore.
Sam said: “It’s all original apart from two classic songs from the ’60s.
“Frederick Waxman composed a brand new song which speaks of the glitz and glamour of that era.
“Without giving too much away, there’s one moment when the main character has a tragic mishap and we asked our composer to write the most beautiful music that he can possibly imagine and I think he’s done a masterful job.”
Playing 20+ characters
Sam plays a Russian spy – in addition to about twenty other characters. And three other Voloz Collective creatives – Olivia Zerphy, Emily Wheatman, Paul Lofferon – take on a similar number of roles.
The four creatives all studied at École internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq (a school of physical theatre in Paris) and later formed Voloz Collective.
“We all play a range of different characters and everything is created with our bodies,” said Sam.
“At one moment I play a spaceship, another moment I’m playing a horse, another moment I’m playing a Russian spy and more.
“It’s very vibrant as a consequence of that.”
How to book tickets
The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much is at Aberdeen Arts Centre on Thursday February 24.
Tickets for the award-winning productions are on sale and can be purchased here.
