The Number 14 bus arrives at The ACT on Thursday evening and promises to take its audience on a wild ride.

Based on research on the #14 bus that rides through downtown Vancouver, The Number 14 play has been performed for 20 years in 13 countries, and will be at The ACT for the second time, but this time with four new actors out of a total of six cast members.

“My great pleasure and challenge as director is to create an ensemble out of the group while letting their individual talents shine through,” said Wayne Specht, one of the original creators and current director.

He describes The Number 14 as a “very physical play in a style we call contemporary commedia dell arte.”

Riding the bus is a universal activity and Specht said he’s heard time and again from audience members that they recognize themselves or somebody else they’ve seen on the bus in this play.

“Happily bus drivers have come to see the show in great numbers and have loved what we’ve put on stage,” he added.

The show will take place Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the main theatre of The ACT. Tickets are $38.50 for adults, $35.50 for seniors, and $15 for students.

The play has been compared to Monty Python and Mr. Bean, and Specht said the comparison is “appropriate as much of the play has no dialogue, is very physical and satirical in a wacky way.”

“While there is some social commentary in the play, really our objective was to create something high energy, highly visual, and hopefully very funny,” he added.

“We love playing at The ACT and hope the audience will enjoy the play as much as we enjoy performing it,” Specht said.