Creators: All Day Breakfast Theatre
Winner of Best Original Show & Spirit of the Fringe at Liverpool Fringe Theatre 2021 for their Debut Show ‘Simon Says’
This cracking production from All Day Breakfast Theatre encapsulates so much of what we hope for from Fringe theatre. It’s energetic, it’s vital and its audience has been very well considered. Days Are Really Long But Years Go By So Quickcreates a striking, thought-provoking speculative-future with skilful performances and highly effective use of multimedia. It deservedly has the confidence of well-constructed, well-thought through theatre and there is much here to engage and stretch our imaginations as we follow the extraordinary journeys of a group of scientists and explorers hoping to save humanity.
It’s 2048 and for Dan Harding (Arthur Noah), Dolores Stryke (Anastasia Kulaeva) and Nick Wilson (Rory Gillan), the stakes have never been higher. Humanity has well and truly lost its way, destroying its one true home. If the crew can’t find another world to which all of the human inhabitants of Earth can be evacuated, it’s curtains for the whole race. Days Are Really Long But Years Go By So Quickoffers a welcome twist on the more familiar apocalyptic narratives that require conventional space travel to discover another inhabitable planet. These intrepid explorers are instead part of a mission to step through portals to other worlds.
The premise of this play creates so much opportunity to present alternative modes of existence and it’s with delight that this company seizes the chance. We see a reality where cats and mice are caught in a deadly battle. We see a world where stand-up comedy is a punishment for breaking the law and tends to result in death. And we see a land where expressing sadness is outlawed. There are concrete jungles that push people to the brink and an extremely moving animation where two crudely, but pleasingly, drawn fish fall in love before disaster strikes. It transpires other realities are not doing a great job of looking after their own planets either.
The set that is largely constructed of cardboard boxes surrounding a large central screen, is well-utilised and transformed for each world with simple modifications. Sounds and lights are also used effectively to complement the action on stage. By harnessing a range of methods to present these other realms, the company have created a stimulating and satisfying experience that involves combining more conventional scene acting with physical theatre, animation, stand-up and even some shadow puppetry.
Generally the audience experience has been extremely well considered. However, the recordings that play as we enter the venue get a bit lost, distracted as the audience are by needing to focus on navigating the dimly lit space to find seats. Some scenes throughout the piece could also be made tighter. The stand-up scene in particular drags on and when the first character eventually does get killed it feels a relief. By cutting this scene down it could also give it more urgency to mirror the characters feelings of panic.
However, generally this is an engaging play where Stargate meets Star Trek meets Don’t Look Up, with excellent performances and much to stretch our imaginations. It’s a meaningful and carefully constructed piece that must be seen, especially for all fans of speculative futures, those with climate concerns, and anyone who loves a dive into apocalyptic science fiction.
Reviewed on the 12th May 2023
The Review Hub Score
An Extraordinary Engaging Journey
