★★★★

Reviewer - Hollie

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.

Wasteland contains themes of violence, depression, alcoholism and recreational drug use. The show also contains strong language, strobe lighting, loud music and smoke effects.

The Gary Clarke Company returns to the stage with Gary’s sequel to his award-winning production ‘Coal’, with this second installment known as ‘Wasteland.’

As artistic director, Gary Clarke uses his own experiences of living in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire to tell a story of two generations who are both trying to escape the grey and grim realities of their life in 1994 since the closure of the Grimethorpe Colliery.

The show was created to mark the 25th anniversary of the demolition of Grimethorpe Colliery and to also mark 30 years since the rise of U.K. rave culture. However, the similarities between 2023 and 1994 allow the audience to draw comparisons between their own lives and those of their family members.

Wasteland appeals to a variety of people including former miners, dance enthusiasts, university students and young adults not even born at the time of the demolition! When arriving at the theatre classic rave tracks were playing in the lobby which set the scene for the evening’s euphoric and energetic performance.

Through a mixture of archive footage, dance, narrative, music and technology, the performance really brought the reality home of what it was like to live in a small village which was centred around the colliery. The symbols of poverty and despair were cleverly depicted by PJ Hurst and Rob Anderson through their story as father and son. Their contrasting lives portrayed life after the mine closure and how each character dealt with the change in the community and their lack of future prospects. The once close-knit community became a village of emptiness and loss as the mine was replaced with nothing and the centre of everyone’s lives was gone. The use of simple staging and minimal props emulate the character’s upheaval and fight for survival.

The dancers and actors interpret the feelings of decline and survival as well as the themes of hope and escapism through coping mechanisms such as: alcoholism and recreational drug use. As an acclaimed choreographer, Gary Clarke is able to ensure the contrasting rave scenes remain spontaneous and exhilarating whilst keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. After the 30-minute rave a round of applause erupted in the auditorium due to the dancers energetic and authentic performances.

In all shows the pit men singers are actors from the local area and they learn the production within two days! The very talented brass players Jamie Smith and Adam Bokaris were also recruited from the Grimethorpe Colliery band and the bringing together of these local communities provides the audience with a real sense of solidarity and togetherness.

The standing ovation by the audience at the end of the evening shows what a masterpiece Wasteland is!

We look forward to hearing about The Gary Clarke Company’s next production and how they continue to work with local communities in different areas.

The show will continue touring across the U.K. for the next three months at theatres including: Truro Hall, Huddersfield Lawrence Batley Theatre and Birmingham REP until 19th May 2023. Full tour information is available on their website.