Quantifying the legacy of a film like Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror classic ALIEN is no easy feat. Massively influential and undeniably iconic, the ripple effect of its existence on cinema and pop culture can feel overwhelming if one spends too long thinking about it. Thankfully, there are documentaries like ALIEN ON STAGE that manage to boil the value of such juggernauts down to their cores while reinforcing the power of art to inspire and unite.
Created and directed by Danielle Kummer and Lucy Harvey, ALIEN ON STAGE follows an amateur dramatics group of bus drivers from Dorset, England, who spent an entire year working on a stage adaptation of ALIEN. After a disappointing run in their hometown, the group received a surprising second chance, landing a show in the famous West End of London at the Leicester Square Theatre. Documenting the entire process, ALIEN ON STAGE is a heartwarming and remarkably charming look at community theatre, creativity on a budget, and just how magical movies can be.
Although stage productions were not a new endeavor for this particular group of Dorset bus drivers, the idea to adapt a film like ALIEN certainly was. The group typically produced productions aligned more with traditional pantomime as part of an ongoing charity initiative. However, this particular year, the group’s volunteer writer, Luc, proposed a production inspired by one of his favorite films. Eager to tackle something a little bit different, the group embarked on an unprecedented adventure that pushed their creativity, determination, and acting talents to the max.
This origin story, born of sheer love for the material, is the first actual hook of the doc. Then, as Kummer and Harvey reveal the people behind the performance, ALIEN ON STAGE becomes something else entirely. Not only is Luc a true fan of the ALIEN franchise, but he is also the son of Lydia, who plays Ripley, and the stepson of Dave, who directs the show. Oh, and Luc’s girlfriend Amy handles costumes, while his stepbrother Karl handles stage management, and his grandad Ray manages set design. Even though the rest of the cast and crew consists of folks connected through the Wilts and Dorset Bus Company, this familial dynamic permeates the entire production, resulting in a palpable atmosphere of dedication and enthusiasm.
It is also through the group’s authentic normality that the humor and meta-spirit of the doc arise. All from working-class backgrounds and many coming in with zero professional training, an interesting parallel to the fictional crew of the Nostromo collides with beautifully clunky line deliveries and perfectly imperfect character embodiments. Similarly, with all of the props and special effects created by Pete, a bus station supervisor, the sheer ingenuity and simplicity of his budget-conscious designs would (possibly) make even Ridley Scott smile. While a doc like this could easily skew condescending, Kummer and Harvey allow the cast plenty of time and space to speak for themselves, effectively alleviating such concerns.
Clocking in at a brisk 1 hour and 23 minutes, the only real downfall to the ALIEN ON STAGE doc is that we don’t quite get enough of it. Though the third act thankfully shows a ton of the final production and hits all of the iconic movie moments, it feels a bit scant on the human interest side of things. As the production shifts from a local charity event to a full-blown, sold-out West End production, the raised stakes naturally elicit a mix of emotions from the crew, lots of which the doc captures. Though it does touch on some genuinely moving personal stories, it unfortunately never scratches more than just the surface. Stylistically executed in an appropriate but rather fundamental fashion, the final result inevitably leaves one hungry to know even more about this endearing group of performers. But then again, maybe that was the goal all along.
While some documentaries exist to inform or reshape a perception, some exist to simply offer a smile-inducing slice-of-life. ALIEN ON STAGE is definitely one of the latter. And that’s not a bad thing. With the entire world shrouded in dark and depressing real-world stories, it is incredibly refreshing to see a simple doc like this that reaffirms the value of humanity, art and those who make it. In a world that often seems intent on tearing us apart, ALIEN ON STAGE quietly shows how art so frequently does the exact opposite. Even though it is often tempting to think about blowing the entirety of humanity into space, ALIEN ON STAGE is a good reminder that Ripley was right when she said, "We have to stick together."
After a lengthy and successful festival run, ALIEN ON STAGE is now available to stream on VOD.
Comments