This 12-minute play may or may not have potential; it’s hard to tell from its premiere at the dingy dive that is Valhalla. It’s played on the flat bar-room floor in front of a stage set up for a band. A loudly humming fan or air-conditioner above the vinyl bench seating along the wall (at right-angled to the playing space) plays havoc with the acoustics.

It is clear, however, that Eleanor (there’s no programme so I can’t name the actors) is nagging her unseen son o make his bed and clean his room. Outside, over the fence, Steve is singing ‘Five Years…’, interrupted by the first of a few radio broadcasts about the progress of Asteroid Opal.

For some reason Steve persists in calling Eleanor Allie but he listens to her complaints about the hotel/motel routines that seem to render her travelling job for MBIE insufferable. There may be more to understand but this actress has a habit of going soft at the end of every sentence, so although I am sitting about two metres from her I miss (presumably) essential phrases.

She has assumed Steve is a maintenance guy but it turns out he we was a consultant for NASA on weather patterns around asteroids until he was ‘let go’ before he found out too much about Opal.

It’s hard to tell if the radio guy is crying or laughing – stoned maybe – as he delivers what he says is his last broadcast but it becomes apparent the end of the world is at hand. And Steve has a bunker.

That’s it.

It falls well short of the promise of its promotion:
“Following some incredibly unusual conspiracy theories at work, Steve is now unemployed. Neighbour Eleanor – struggling as a solo parent – has no time for these theories… or Steve. Is the end of the world really here? Can Eleanor put aside her differences and accept Steve’s truth?”

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer