THERE’S a body in the box, dinner is served, and the guests are none the wiser.
Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense thriller Rope is coming to the Zamia Theatre in Mount Tamborine this July, and director Thor Andersen is finally bringing a decades-old dream to life.
Adapted from the 1948 Hitchcock film (itself based on a 1929 play by Patrick Hamilton), Rope is inspired by a true crime that shocked 1920s America: two university students who commit a murder to prove their intellectual superiority, then host a dinner party on the very chest concealing the body.
Rehearsals for the performance are well underway, and Mr Andersen is excited to show Mount Tamborine a version of the film that he first saw during a trip to Sweden many years ago.
“It’s been in the back of my mind for thirty years,” he said.
“I’ve always found the story fascinating, not just the crime itself, but the psychological philosophy behind it.”
After years of logistical challenges casting young male leads on the mountain, Mr Andersen has taken a bold creative leap – rewriting the leads as female.
“It’s not a big stretch,” he said.
“The original killers were a gay couple, and now we have two women in those roles. I actually think it adds something new and compelling.”
While Rope is often mistaken for a dark comedy, Mr Andersen insists the tone leans heavily into suspense.
“There are some lighter moments, but this isn’t a comedy,” he said.
“It’s a psychological thriller – with themes like Nietzsche’s ‘Superman’ theory and a chilling look at the value of life.”
The upcoming production is notable not only for its daring adaptation, but also for its minimalist staging.
The entire play takes place in one room, with a dummy body hidden in a chest throughout.
“The audience will be in on the secret from the start,” Mr Andersen said.
“That tension builds in every scene.”
Performances run from July 4 to 19 at the Zamia Theatre, with rehearsals already underway.
For Mr Andersen, a long-time mountain resident, the excitement is palpable.
“I’m just thrilled to finally see this story come to life on stage,” he said.
“It’s provocative, it’s gripping, and I think it’ll really surprise people.”
