Universally hailed as one of the ‘fathers of science fiction’, H. G. Wells continues to inspire bold reinterpretations of War of the Worlds, his seminal alien invasion novel that has never been out of print since its publication in 1898. From Orson Welles’ 1938 radio broadcast to Jeff Wayne’s 1978 musical, to Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film and countless other adaptations, the story has been repeatedly retold, often to mirror the anxieties of its age.
Imitating the Dog’s latest stage version does exactly that. Known for pushing multimedia boundaries, the company delivers a theatrical experience that feels like watching a one-take film being constructed live before your eyes. It is dazzling and complex.
Situated in a reimagined Britain with echoes of 1960s London and present-day political rhetoric, the production follows Will (Gareth Cassidy), who awakens in an abandoned hospital amid apocalyptic chaos. Mechanical invaders roam red-lit streets, British landmarks burn, and rumours circulate of safe passage across the English Channel. As Will searches for his wife (Amy Dunn), the narrative unfolds as both a dystopian road trip and mental breakdown, though the emotional clarity of that journey is not always as sharply defined as its visual world.
The true triumph of this production lies in its technical boldness. Four performers, Bonnie Baddoo, Morgan Bailey, Cassidy and Dunn, simultaneously act, operate cameras, shift props and manipulate miniature model worlds with astonishing dexterity. Two intricate dioramas, environmental backdrops and a central projection screen combine to create the “final film” in real time. Forced perspective, clever zooms, distortion filters, double exposure and Pepper’s Ghost effects blend the live with the lifeless in a dazzling, ever-changing picture of ideas and images Steve Jackson’s video design deliberately exposes the mechanics without entirely demystifying them, while Abby Clarke’s set and Andrew Crofts’ stark, strobing lighting plunge the stage into a blazing apocalyptic palette of reds and whites. James Hamilton’s score, veering from celestial eeriness to string-driven dread, sustains an atmosphere of mounting unease.
For all its creativity, the storytelling occasionally feels secondary to the mechanics. Wells’ themes of colonial cruelty, imperial arrogance and technological warfare are reframed here through anti-immigration rhetoric and social fracture, with imagery of burning skylines, charred bodies and bobbing dinghies offering a pointed commentary on displacement and prejudice. The political parallels are clear.
The production’s final twist reframes earlier moments in a darker psychological light, transforming exaggerated survivor figures into something more troubling. It is a bold narrative choice, though one that relies on groundwork that is not always sufficiently laid. Will’s relationship with his wife, the emotional spine of the piece, lacks the depth required to fully anchor the spectacle. As a result, the human stakes can feel subdued, even as the world collapses spectacularly around them.
I found this to be truly compelling. Imitating the Dog have created something rare, a production that operates simultaneously as theatre and cinema. It is inventive, unsettling and frequently jaw-dropping. This production of War of the Worlds stands as a bold argument for experimentation in theatre.
War of the Worlds is on until 7th March and tickets can be purchased here,
https://everymanplayhouse.com/event/war-of-the-worlds/
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 04.03.2026
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