Wasteland – Contact Theatre

When the mines shut down in the 1980’s, little thought was given to the catastrophic ripple affect it would have on the northern mining towns of England.

This story follows Gary Clarke’s award-winning production Coal, which looks at the infamous mining strikes of 1984/5. Wasteland takes flight with its tale about the radial upheaval that followed. Mired in recession, communities struggled but born was an era of illegal raves forming escapism and euphoria.

It begins with The Last Miner (Parsifal James Hurst), drunkenly swaying across the stage clutching a bottle. Every inch of his movement is carefully choreographed, from the light lyrical motions to the harsh stomps and falls, his despair and frustrations clearly evident.

The Pit Men Singers were a really nice touch, unique to each area of the tour. These men have links to the mining industry and are not professional singers or actors. However, this did make for slightly uncomfortable viewing at some points as a few of them didn’t really know what they were doing and looked awkward and uneasy on stage. The Pit Men Singers set the scene for the audience, portraying the closing of the mines and the anguish that followed from the many workers that were left without support from the government.

The story then moves to built the relationship between The Last Miner and his son, The Boy (Robert Anderson). Evidence of tension is immediate, a difficult era torn through the family pulling the pair apart.

The Gary Clarke Company then throw us right into the heart of the illegal rave culture, with trance and acid house blasting and lights strobing, the exhilarating atmosphere drawing you in.

The energy is electric: The Ravers, (Jake Evans, Shelley Eve Haden, Patricia Langa & Emily Thompson Smith) are flamboyant and busting with energy, entranced by the music they gyrate and launch themselves into the rave. The dancers are remarkable, maintaining their intense velocity throughout the (potentially too prolonged) rave scene.

The choreography is something to behold, with ‘classic rave move’ motifs intertwining between sharp jerking ferocity, portraying the ravers’ frustrations, defiance and ecstasy as they escape their harsh reality. Choreographer Gary Clarke says “Without the birth of rave culture and its social driven motivation, I would not be the artist and choreographer I am today.” This is completely evident throughout the dance-theatre piece, as every move has meaning, portraying a feeling or alluding to what once was.

The rave sequence does take up the majority of the production, leaving only room for a short underlying story that is heavily reliant on its themes. This piece has community at its heart: the community of miners, the families that struggled hereafter, and the community of young radicals who created their own escape.

Wasteland immerses audiences with its relentless thumping beats, as well as dynamic and carefully crafted movements to consider the complexities of the time.

Join the rave at Contact Theatre only until Friday 3rd February, tickets available here – https://contactmcr.com/shows/wasteland/  

Reviewer: Alison Baines

Reviewed: 1st February 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★