War of the Worlds
The Victorian ‘shabby chic’ of Wilton’s Music Hall provides the perfect setting for a play that draws parallels with the consequences of the famous Orson Welles 1938 radio broadcast of HG Wells’ War of The Worlds with the modern world of misinformation and ‘fake news’.
The exceptional National Youth Theatre cast flawlessly transport us from 4 ‘Orsons’ and the 1938 broadcast to the modern day, replacing radio with podcasts and social media. Meena (Talitha Christina) is a British podcasting journalist visiting a family in the US (during the 2016 election campaign) who believed the 1938 radio broadcast was real. In a quest to find out the truth behind their actions at the time, Meena finds herself and her morality questioned in the pursuit of her story.
The staging is impressive – at times minimal but effective, at others energetic and more complex, never distracting from the story.
Originally created by Rhum + Clay and staged at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019, whilst the cast has been extended along with the runtime, there was perhaps a missed opportunity to further modernise the text. Since 2019 (or indeed 2016 when part of the play is set) the world of misinformation has only become more intense – from COVID denials to deepfake videos which could have made the piece feel more contemporary.
All said this was a though-provoking and highly entertaining performance from an exceptional group of performers in a stunning venue.
This show was reviewed on the 17th October 2024 at Wilton's Music Hall where it runs until the 26th October 2024. Tickets available here: The War of the Worlds - Wilton's Music Hall (wiltons.org.uk)
Review written by Mike Stocks
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Photo credit: Johan Persson
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