★★★
What would scousers do following a nuclear armageddon? Wait it out like tough nuts, it seems, if Hoarderz is anything to go by. Then again, what could they do? This new production from Gritty Gaze asks how the entrenched geographical inequalities of the UK could manifest in the event of a nuclear disaster. It is a compellingly performed and visually unique drama that makes up in style what it lacks in consistent focus.
It is amazing just what an atmosphere you can produce with some empty boxes, grime, and the right costumes. You feel immediately transported to the ruins of Liverpool, which has been practically left to rot following a radiation accident. The details of this, and the full extent of north-south disparity, is never explored in substantial depth and as such Hoarderz can lack the cutting edge that you might expect. Instead, the play focuses on its troupe of characters, understanding their approach to survival in the new world they find themselves in. It makes for regularly funny, compelling viewing that uses every stylistic and technical trick at its disposal, fully leaning into the visual elements of its apocalyptic genre of choice.
The relatively high number of primary characters coupled with a story that wants to do a lot in not much time can mean the subtext of Hoarderz can be hard to follow. The different elements struggle to embed themselves together, although it is in comedy that the show finds its greatest rhythm (such as the unusual arrival of the TV licencing people, a brief but amusing sequence). Meanwhile, each character has a personality and weaknesses that are allowed to emerge gradually, although with so many of them it can be difficult for each one to be afforded the time they deserve. They do however all lean into the style; a delicious DIY end-of-the-world feel that avoids feeling like a cheap imitation of the end times.
The narrative and thematic coherency of Hoarderz can sometimes go begging, in part because of the play’s evident ambition, but this remains a shick and entertaining look at a society and people on the rocks. Such is the ongoing lack of equity between the north and south of England, the day may come when some of us are talking to sentient piles of rubbish. Hoarderz is a riveting preview of this potential, dirty future.
Hoarderz is being performed at theSpace @ Niddry Street – Upper Theatre until 24 August 2024 as part of Edinburgh Fringe 2024.
Words by James Hanton
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