‘The little bus show that could’ shows no sign of slowing down
A home-grown success story that’s delighted audiences across Australia, Speed: The Movie, The Play hightails it back to where it all began – the Brisbane Comedy Festival.
I never thought I’d have a come-to-Jesus moment because of an old bus. But there I was, standing in front of an orange-and-white Leyland Panther, almost haloed in revelatory light, practically hearing the hallelujahs of a heavenly chorus.
The good people of the Queensland Omnibus and Coach Society still recall the day “that crazy woman” came racing up to their information stand at the 2014 Teneriffe Festival yelling, “Who are you people, and how can I get this bus?”
The passionate frenzy was because just two days earlier, my frequent comedy collaborators – Dan Beeston and Gregory Rowbotham – and I had struck upon an idea for a show: turning the 1994 action thriller Speed into a stage show. The movie is about a bus rigged with a bomb that will explode if it drops below 50 miles (80km) per hour. Our gimmick? Set it on a real bus.
We had almost immediately ditched the idea, because where the hell do you get a bus? Modern buses are too nice and airconditioned and sealed against the elements. We would need something retro, something that suited ’90s grunge.
So, when I stumbled upon that glorious old bus 48 hours later, it definitely felt like fate.
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QOCS is a not-for-profit that’s dedicated to restoring and preserving Queensland’s bus heritage. These days their buses are kept at the fantastic Brisbane Transport Museum at Nathan, but back then they were scattered across the city.
The good news was they loved the concept and jumped onboard, and once we knew we had a bus there was nothing for it – we had to write the show.
The joy of Speed: The Movie, The Play comes from recreating the big-budget special effects of the movie on a shoestring budget. We have DIY props like corflute cars, as well as relics from the era, like an overhead projector.
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We also embrace the show’s leading man, Keanu. He is with the audience for virtually the entire show, the charismatic pillar around whom the chaos happens. The show works because of its love for its subject matter, and because we bring the audience with us as fellow performers. The show is interactive in the best way – each performance only has 40 audience members, so we’re all in it together.
Our first season at the 2015 Brisbane Comedy Festival started selling out quickly and extended its run. We brought the show back later that year, again to packed buses. Since then, our small independent company, Act React, has toured the show to Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Townsville, as well as subsequent seasons in Brisbane.
We always donate a percentage of our box-office revenue to the local not-for-profit bus society we work with in each city – because bus fanatics are everywhere! In the 11 years we have been doing the show, we have donated more than $20,000 to these groups, which is not bad for a little indie company.
We’re so indebted to the Brisbane Comedy Festival team for giving us the green light for that first season, and for continuing to love and support the show 11 years later. We’re so delighted that during this forthcoming season at Brisbane Powerhouse we will mark 300 performances of the little bus show that could.
As the show’s producer as well as writer and performer, you will find me glued to my phone’s weather app on show days. This is part of doing a site-specific show outside. But when you get in line, you might also spot me staring at our beautiful 1970 Leyland Panther bus – it’s as awe-inspiring as ever.
Speed: The Movie, The Play, Brisbane Powerhouse, March 26 to April 19.
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