2100: A Space Novelty breathes new life into the sci-fi genre, telling an original story while cleverly referencing pop culture along the way. The mix of comedy and physical theatre is performed skilfully by the international cast, without a dull moment along the way.

Held at the Bakehouse Theatre, the setting of 2100: A Space Novelty is a post-apocalyptic future, with the earth wiped out and only one human, NASA astronaut Mike Briggs, having survived. He spends his time floating around in his spaceship, until he enters a wormhole and meets Botilda, a space warrior, who drags Mike into saving the universe. The staging is sparse, with only a lectern used to house the keyboard and some small props being visible. The actors work double time to set each scene by both becoming the props and providing all the sound effects. This works in the show’s favour though, as it provides a lot of the comedic moments.

On the surface the premise looks a little derivative, however I found this was far from the case. 2100: A Space Novelty cleverly uses sci-fi conventions to construct a theatre experience full of wit and energy, with the numerous pop culture references only adding to the fun of the performance. The cast perform the material with verve and excellent comic timing. There is so much to experience in this show that I was enthralled from almost start to finish, and left the theatre wondering what Cut Mustard, the production company responsible, is going to put out next.

2100: A Space Novelty is a show that is an absolute blast – original, fun, and clever. For those who like physical theatre with large dollops of humour then this show is worth the admission price. See this before it’s touring large arenas and you’ll only be able to get seats in the nosebleed section.

5 Stars

2100: A Space Novelty runs until Saturday 2^nd of March. Buy tickets HERE.

By Tania Nicholas