film synopsis
Against all odds, an amateur theater troupe of British bus drivers decides to do something a little – er, a lot – different from their usual family-friendly pantomimes and put on a straight-faced adaptation of the 1979 sci-fi horror film Alien. What the motley crew lack in resources and classical training, they make up for with giddy enthusiasm and guileless dedication. Under the direction of the capable (but perhaps dubious) David, who spends much of rehearsals rubbing his temples as the cast fumble through their lines and the scrappy special effects require “more luck than judgment,” their first performance in Dorset yields a disappointing turnout. Despite this, they are invited to bring their production to London’s West End, where it sells out and becomes a cult hit. Directors Danielle Kummer and Lucy Harvey lovingly capture every wobbly step, from rehearsals to curtain call, and reveal how a band of local bus drivers can morph into intergalactic – well, stage – heroes.