The local boozer might not be a bad place to wait for the impending apocalypse. At least, that’s the premise of Alison Carr’s new play, in which the end is nigh but the beer is still flowing.
As an asteroid hurtles towards Earth, the punters of the Four Horsemen (get it?) are brandishing their pens for one final quiz night. Or rather, we are. In Box of Tricks’ immersive production, the audience are the pub regulars, dusting off our general knowledge and also competing for the title of best team name. In between quiz rounds, characters try to right old regrets and settle old scores as time ticks down to oblivion.
There are some witty nuggets of dialogue in Carr’s script, delivered with easy charm by the cast of four. Meriel Scholfield’s Kathy, landlady of the Four Horsemen, holds everything together, always ready with a commiserating drink and a sharp reply. Our quizmaster for the night is Rav, loud and lovable as played by Shaban Dar, while Amy Drake and Chris Jack both make suitably dramatic entrances as unexpected blasts from the past.
There’s a light touch to Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder’s direction and Katie Scott’s design, using small details to evoke the pub setting. Seated around tables, spectators quickly embrace the spirit of the event, scribbling down answers. The pedestrian familiarity of the set-up makes an enjoyably absurd contrast with the subject matter.
But the blend of quiz and drama doesn’t quite do justice to either. The mixed format creates some awkward moments, as exchanges between the actors get lost under enthusiastic chatter. Squeezed in between rounds of questions and answers, the main content of the play is slight, playing on the predictable end-of-the-world themes of reunion, repentance and regret. Cliche is never far away.
As a variation on your typical pub quiz, Box of Tricks’ production is an entertaining enough evening. But as an imagining of Armageddon, The Last Quiz Night on Earth brings little that’s new or surprising to an already well-rehearsed scenario.
At Hope Mill theatre, Manchester, until 4 March. Then touring.
