The Last Man
Review by Penny
⭐⭐
Hello, World!
As the zombie apocalypse rages outside, we meet The Survivor (not a superhero, just the unnamed film buff protagonist of our show) in his carefully constructed bunker, keeping safe from the terrors above. We follow him through various video diaries he creates over the course of a year stuck inside, isolated and alone, spiralling into madness as supplies run low and hope feels lost.
An interesting premise underpinned by a self-aware script that references a host of popular post-apocalyptic movies throughout, this show feels incredibly poorly constructed in almost every way. Though performed by some incredibly talented musicians (who also contribute fabulously eerie soundscapes), every song is entirely unremarkable with no apparent musical consistency from one number to the next which are all clunkily inserted into the narrative. The passage of time is unclear, emotional progression is almost non-existent so our connection to the only character on stage is missing entirely – who is this person? Why should we care about him and Jon Bear, his version of Cast Away’s Wilson? – and the twist at the end, that seems to want to elicit a Sixth Sense style revelation from the audience, is messy, confusing, and seemingly without purpose.
The script itself has moments of genuine wit that are disappointingly delivered in a performance that tries to bring levity and sincerity to the stage but misses the mark on both counts – admittedly, it is no mean feat to be the sole performer for a full 2-hour musical but we are left wanting for greater connection and natural pacing (perhaps a directorial issue) from the show’s only character.
The promise of this production comes from the themes it presents to us of the Korean concepts of Cheong and Ingan and how they can inspire hope in the hopeless. It is unfortunate, then, that we see no pay off for this beautiful set-up over the course of the story.
The set is simple but effective, instantly transporting us to our setting for the next 2 hours.
Ultimately overambitious and underachieving, this show might be one best left in the bunker for now.