Alfred Hitchcock parody
Project Overview
A parody of Hitchcock's 1956 classic, "The Man Who Knew Too Much."
Comedic talent needed.
Think Monty Python and Mel Brooks Meets Hitchcock.
That's pretty much the flavor of this farce. Fast paced, over the top comedic acting, timing and accents, all add to the mix. It's unpaid, we're doing this for the pure fun and joy of it. This is a send-up of everything we love (or annoys us) about this film.
If you saw the recent parody on stage of "The 39 Steps" then you've got an idea of the tone and pace I'm going after. And if you're not familiar with the film we're actually spoofing, Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (he made two versions, in 1934 and 1956, and we're spoofing the 1956 version), well, it would help because we're spoofing just about everything in that film. We poke fun at the characters, 1950's tropes, virtually lampooning everything in its path from its glaring plot holes to the iconic song "Que Sera, Sera" to the famous concert scene, all played entirely for laughs. If you're in on the jokes you'll find doing this funnier to do, no doubt. But if you're not familiar with the film, I'll clue you in as we go.
The way I like to work is to have rehearsals (online) and then record takes live (online) together recording through our individual DAWs but while seeing each other online via a zoom-like app so we can feed off each other's energy just like a live performance, and try tweaks and takes too.
Who this is not for: People who are offended by jokes that are actually in a farce.
Who this IS for: Everyone else.
Submitting Auditions
1. MP3 is fine for auditions, but WAVs will be needed for the live recordings.
2. Your audition has to be recorded with the same good quality space/equipment you'll use for the live recordings. Don't do any post production to the file.
3. When auditioning for the Supporting Roles (and those are ALL important roles), you needn't do all the lines if you can't, just the ones you feel you can do.
4. Before each line, name the character that line is for (the character names are bold-faced).
5. You can give me two to three takes if you wish. Just the lines, please. No extraneous stuff. I only want to hear your takes.
6. Here's a directing tip: It's a comedy. Accordingly, keep in mind pacing, energy, intent and timing.
7. Now, have fun with it and show me what you've got!
Synopsis
Dr. Ben McKenna (Jimmy Stewart) is on vacation with his wife, Jo, (Doris Day) and seven year old son (played by an adult in this parody) in Morocco when a chance encounter with a mysterious Frenchman, Louis Bernard, turns their lives upside down. Bernard is murdered in the marketplace and dies revealing to Dr. McKenna that an international assassination is to take place in London, and he is to inform the police to investigate "Ambrose Chappell." Their son is abducted by a seemingly nice English couple who befriended the McKennas, and Dr. McKenna is warned not to go to the authorities with the dead man’s information - or the boy will be killed. This sets the McKennas on a course to London determined to hunt down the kidnappers themselves.
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In Hitchcock's 1956 film, "The Man Who Knew Too Much," the role was played by Doris Day. She's a 1950's housewife. She's demure, but sharp. I'd like someone who can evoke Doris Day through their voice acting. But this, being a comedy, requires a range beyond that: I need you to sing fairly well but belt out "Que Sera, Sera" in the worst way possible. Can you do a mock impersonation of Jimmy Stewart and do an over the top goofy Doris Day? Great! Then you were born to be my Jo McKenna!
(very earnest and heartfelt, a la "Doris Day") Oh, Ben... All I need do is look at Hank's little face and it embraces my soul with so much joy and happiness. My heart knows it's worth everything. Oh, darling, there's nothing that would be more satisfying in life than if we could have another child to love and cherish and play a role in helping him grow up to be the kind of person we'd be proud of, just like Hank!
Over the top parts:
1. (a la "Jimmy Stewart") Hallo! Whah - whah - whadd'ya know?... Well, golly gee, fella! Whaddya make of that?
(a la "Charles Boyer") Come weeth me to ze Casbah!2. (kooky Doris Day) Wow, am I relaxed! Now, c'mon, doctor! Your patient is growing impatient! (seductive) You like it when I talk a blue streak?
(Suspicious of Mr. Bernard, Jo questions her husband. A la "Doris Day") How much do you know about Mr. Bernard? He knows you're an American living in Indianapolis, Indiana. A doctor at the Good Samaritan. You have a garden with snails, a wife, a boy who can spell hemoglobin. You went to a medical convention in Paris. Stopped at Rome, Lisbon, Casablanca. That you once served in North Africa with an Army field Hospital--
In the film, this role is played by Jimmy Stewart. And in this parody, boy, do we riff on that. So you need to do all the lines as "Jimmy Stewart" full throttle. Wha? Well, golly, awright!
Now stop it! Don't be so suspicious. I wear the pants here, and my intuition says everything's awright. Awright? Awright!
(despairing, a la "It's a Wonderful Life") But they gotta believe me! They just gotta! You believe me, doncha? You were there on the bus!
(frazzled) I was trapped in the chapel. They locked me in. So I climbed up the bell tower's rope. Got as high as a window on the top floor. I went out the window and pulled myself up to the roof. I was teetering, looking down at the street below. Everything zoomed in and out, in and out! I had flashbacks about why I left the police force. And I never was in the police force.
There are many supporting roles, they're small bits and pieces, so you'll perform multiple roles. The lines here are a sampling, I need to hear your ability to do distinctive, different characters. Depending on the role, they'll have a comedic English, French, Arabic or Eastern European accent. There's also an annoying seven year old boy. And, for one of the roles would be great if you can give me a Monty Python-ish / Kids in the Hall type older woman drag performance. By the way, if you can impersonate Hitchcock there's even that. Pick out what you'd like to perform and just do those audition lines.
FRENCHMAN: A thousand pardons, monsieur. But zee gentleman eez quite upset that ze driver eez distracted by your little boy...
I'll ask ze questions here! How eez it that out of five thousand people in a great market place - he knows to come to you when he eez about to die? I ask you, eez zat ze action of a casual acquaintance, monsieur?
BOY: (annoying 7 year old American brat) What about our song, mummy? Our song! Sing our song! Please, mummy? Please?... Oh yeah? Then what's so wrong with that?
LONDON PARISHIONER: (working-class) Though one might postulate, there's no point arguin' over it if it's all a preconceived plan, the Finis Ultimus conceived and according to the counsel of Jehovah's will he's infallibly determined shall be done since before the foundation of the world... Ain't nothin' can be done 'bout it, then. Not a thing. Not a thing at'all.
ENGLISH DETECTIVE: I'm Inspector Buchanan, Special Branch, Scotland Yard. No need to go through Customs. Will you come this way? Do sit down, won't you?... Let me say at once, we're shocked that you son was taken from you in Marrakesh.
LONDON BELLHOP: (working class) Welcome to London. Right then, here's a few tips. Don't let the fog, mist and rain fool you - the weather's a virtual gauntlet of horrors. Be extra cautious at the street crossings at Piccadilly Circus, unless you fancy shaving years off your life expectancy.
LONDON THEATRE IMPRESARIO: (over the top, brash, bigger than life) Darling! Welcome back to the civilized world! When I got your wire I couldn't believe it! What were you doing in a dreadful spot like Morocco? Plane crashed?
ALFRED HITCHCOCK: (obviously, in the voice of Alfred Hitchcock) Good evening. I too found the previous scene rather disturbing. The theatrical management wishes to apologize.
OLDER ENGLISH WOMAN: (older woman drag English accent) Oh, are you all right, dearie? In Marrakesh for your health, then? Though I wouldn't know what's so healthy about being in Marrakesh. The diesel fumes from the lorries and buses are carcinogenic, after some time yer face gets black with all the soot, you'd have to have yer adenoids surgically removed before they burst from fillin' up with all the exhaust particles.
EASTERN EUROPEAN: (comedic eastern European accent) I'm glad you're able to treat the matter so lightly. In a few minutes I have to welcome our Prime Minister as my guest of honor at the reception here - when I expected that he would be totally unable to attend! That amuses you, no doubt? You've muddled everything from the start. Kidnapping that child in Marrakesh! Don't you realize Americans dislike having their children kidnapped?
ENGLISH BOBBY: In that situation then I'm sorry to disappoint, ma'am, but we can't go in without probable cause.
There are many supporting roles, they're small bits and pieces, so you'll perform multiple roles. The lines here are a sampling, I need to hear your ability to do distinctive, different characters. Depending on the role, they'll have a comedic English, French, Arabic or Eastern European accent. There's also an annoying seven year old boy. And, for one of the roles would be great if you can give me a Monty Python-ish / Kids in the Hall type older woman drag performance. Pick out what you'd like to perform and just do those audition lines.
OVER-THE-TOP, FAST-PACED PATTER SHOW BIZ TYPE: (American accent) Two minutes later Val was on the phone to me. And I had to call Jan to let her know, of course... Jan was all the rave of the West End!
OVER-THE-TOP, FAST-PACED PATTER SHOW BIZ TYPE: (English accent) She said she was working on a new musical based on "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens. Practically on her knees begging Val to produce the show! So Val asked her to sing him a tune from it.
LONDON PARISHIONER: (working-class) Though one might postulate, there's no point arguin' over it if it's all a preconceived plan, the Finis Ultimus conceived and according to the counsel of Jehovah's will he's infallibly determined shall be done since before the foundation of the world... Ain't nothin' can be done 'bout it, then. Not a thing. Not a thing at'all.
BOY: (annoying 7 year old American bratty boy) What about our song, mummy? Our song! Sing our song! Please, mummy? Please?... Oh yeah? Then what's so wrong with that?
OLDER ENGLISH WOMAN: (comedic British accent, can be "drag") Oh, are you all right, dearie? In Marrakesh for your health, then? Though I wouldn't know what's so healthy about being in Marrakesh. The diesel fumes from the lorries and buses are carcinogenic, after some time yer face gets black with all the soot, you'd have to have yer adenoids surgically removed before they burst from fillin' up with all the exhaust particles.
LONDON BELLHOP: (working class) Welcome to London. Right then, here's a few tips. Don't let the fog, mist and rain fool you - the weather's a virtual gauntlet of horrors. Be extra cautious at the street crossings at Piccadilly Circus, unless you fancy shaving years off your life expectancy.
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