Conor McPherson’s newest play flew into the Guthrie Theater Feb. 25 for previews. The Birds is based on Daphne du Maurier’s short story—which is also the inspiration for the famous Alfred Hitchcock film.

McPherson re-imagines the story of three strangers, played by J.C. Cutler, Angela Timberman and Summer Hagen, who flock to an abandoned house as masses of birds attack their sea town. In order to better explore the oppressive fear of being trapped together, the Guthrie set its production in its smallest space, the Dowling Studio, under the direction of Henry Wishcamper.

Ornithologists weren’t needed for this production. According to Wishcamper, “The tension, the claustrophobia, comes from the actors on stage.” In the style of pre-Tippi Hedren Hitchcock, the thrills in this play rely primarily on a suspension of disbelief. The Birds premiered at Gate Theatre in Dublin, where McPherson is a company member and runs at the Guthrie through April 8.