Classic movies from Hitchcock thrillers to spaghetti westerns inspire a glorious new show from physical theatre company Voloz Collective. Set in 1963, it follows Roger Clément, a French advertising executive living in New York, whose orderly life runs like clockwork until a chance encounter with a cat makes him late for work – and spared by an explosion that kills all his colleagues.

Already the show has brought in tropes and plot lines from thrillers such as Three Days of the Condor and The Man Who Knew Too Much but this is just the start. As Roger travels to Paris, London, Norway, Russia and beyond in search of answers, the story weaves together all kinds of cinematic genres, from James Bond to westerns – and more if you look for it. But it takes all these allusions to create a new story, inventive and often surreal, that keeps you guessing until its wonderfully weird finale.

Through their mastery of physical theatre and occasional acrobatics, the four-strong cast of Paul Lofferon, Olivia Zerphy, Emily Wheatman and Sam Rayner (who created the show together) fill the stage with a constant sense of movement and energy. They impressively conjure up thrilling street chases, busy subway trains and tense gun fights, accompanied by Frederick Waxman on the keyboard. It is frenetic, whimsical and a lot of fun, marking Voloz Collective as a company to watch.

The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much runs at Pleasance Dome as part of Edinburgh Fringe until 29 August 2022. Tickets at edfringe.com.

Sam Rayner, Emily Wheatman, Olivia Zerphy and Paul Lofferon in The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much