NETheatre: February 2018

First published as a book in 1898 War of the Worlds has seen many versions produced over the years, but not many stage versions come to mind. This iconic novel has been brought back to live with Laura Lindow’s new version set in Newcastle, the industrial capital of the North East.

Jack Lloyd as Phillip Ridley photo credit Topher McGrillis

Through the mist the story is told as each of the four narrators begins to tell us how their ghostly situation occurred as we are transported from the banks of the River Tyne to Alnmouth where the invasion first began.

Luke Maddison, Charlotte Ryder, Jack Lloyd and Lauren Waine photo credit Topher McGrillis

The young cast of Phillip Ridley, Jack Lloyd, his wife Jill Ridley, Charlotte Ryder, Boots, Luke Maddison, and Mo, Lauren Waine are terrific throughout and also play the roles of many other characters including a very realistic horse.

Luke Maddison, Lauren Waine and Charlotte Ryder photo credit Topher McGrillis

With very little set, a few ingeniously used props Elayce Ismail’s creative direction fires the imagination making you believe you really saw more than was actually on stage. This is assisted by the immersive and unnerving soundscape by Mariam Rezai and lighting by Richard Flood.