Photography: Ben Redshaw
Sean Aydon directs the final year BA (Hons) Acting students in a powerfully unnerving adaptation of Anne Washburn’s ‘Mr Burns, A Post-Electric Play’, courtesy of Manchester School of Theatre. The play follows American survivors following an apocalyptic nuclear disaster, trying to remember an episode of The Simpsons.
Gathering around a campfire, a small group opens the show. The intensity in the scene is clear; their discussion is lighthearted, but they appear unable to relax. Connected through the episode of ‘Cape Feare’, the strangers open up to one another, dropping in hints of context to the nature of the apocalypse. When another survivor enters the stage, the group pulls out weapons in panic. Then follows a desperately sad scene telling of searches for lost loved-ones and unanswered questions.
Brought forward seven years, we see the group now working as a travelling theatre company. This act is addictive, with underivative costumes adding to the hilariously garish musical numbers. Although there are undertones of deep loss, it’s not hard to see how much fun the team have had working on this. Nejc Lisjak as Gibson delivers an intense and emotive display of panic at losing his memory.
Upon re-entering the Manchester Metropolitan University theatre for the final act, the room is transformed by Chloe Wyn’s incredible set design. The backdrop took three weeks to build, using her own handprints to paint every section of the stage. 75 years on from the first scene, the show closes with a musical debut, based on ‘Cape Feare’.
While the story has lost most of its connection to the original play, we see a similar grapple to understand the new world within the context of the character’s memories. A notable difference is Sideshow Bob, who has been replaced by the evil nuclear-plant owner Mr Burns. Costume design is impeccable, a chorus of students enter in primitive clothing and uncanny white eyelids. The Simpsons themselves are donning Greek tragedy-inspired masks.
Assistant director Lara Rose Hancox told us that while musicals typically get six weeks to prepare, the team had only five: “The fact they managed to pull this off is incredible and a testament to MST, the students just have so much passion and talent.”
Filled with musical references, from Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ to Eminems ‘Lose Yourself’, the act is hysterically unsettling. Through the passage of time, we see the narrative become intertwined with the characters. Simple concepts of love and hate are tackled as the survivors create a world they can comprehend through theatre. The resulting production is poignant yet truly insane, serving as a reminder that our stories always survive us.
Mr Burns completes the Autumn season for Manchester School of Theatre.
For all highlights of the shows and information on future productions, check out the MST website and follow @mst_acting
Featured image and gallery: Sally Stretch The Royston Club perform alongside Overpass and Permanent (Joy) at a sold-out O2 Victoria Warehouse. Welsh indie rock band The Royston Club, school friends who began playing together in 2017, now headline O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. Touring second album Songs For The Spine, they generate an energetic sold-out…
Featured image: Radical Optimism Album Artwork / Warner Music Radical Optimism was released in May 2024 by Dua Lipa, an album which I have grown to love more and more after every listen, and earning my most-listened-to album on Spotify last year. However, critics had different opinions, with the Huffington Post declaring that it’s “great, but not…
Featured image: Press It’s a spring evening at Manchester Academy 2, and there is a stir of anticipation. An amicable, yet certainly eager crowd flock to the front of the sold-out venue, itching to secure a satisfactory view of the stage. Of course, Balu Brigada are worth the urgency. Formed in 2016 by multi-instrumentalist brothers…
Feature Image: Press “It’s important to find your people. Don’t feel like you have to find this incredible producer or person who’s going to give you loads of money and change your life” says Lauerence Tratalos, one-half of the Northern duo responsible for Misper; a feature debut for director Harry Sheriff and script writer Tratalos….
Leave a reply