New Vic Theatre – The Last Quiz Night on Earth – by Alison Carr
Written by Hitmix Local News on 17 February 2025
New Vic Theatre – The Last Quiz Night on Earth – by Alison Carr.
Photographs courtesy of Andrew Billington
Something quite new for The New Vic – usually so perfectly scripted and followed to the letter with every word and pause in the right place – this play relies on the audience who are part of the play.
As you would expect from the title, ‘The Last Quiz Night on Earth’ takes place in a pub, the Four Horsemen, after the news has been received that a giant meteorite is approaching the planet.
The set is fantastic – it fills the round stage and is no doubt a pub. In fact, a very good example of a pub, one that you would like as a local – complete with jukebox. Even the front row of the audience has typical pub tables in front of them which pulls the audience into the stage set and everything becomes one. Excitement is already in the air before you take your seat with the lovely Lisa Gorgin, who plays Kathy the landlady, welcoming people and conversing with them – and she looked stunning!
There are just three more actors in addition to Lisa – Ayan Philip who is Lisa’s assistant, Rav, Pria Kelsi who plays Fran an old girl friend of Rav, and Sam Redford is Bobby – Lisa’s long lost brother. All four playing their parts faultlessly, giving their characters a strong identity and interacting well with each other – despite the very odd combination of reasons for being there!
Audience participation is at the centre of this play with an actual quiz taking place throughout with Rav as the very charismatic quiz-master! Also with very difficult questions! I was thankful for Waterloo, Wales and Sheffield Wednesday – as were many people!!
A fun night out with great music and a pub quiz to see the end of the world out in style – but amidst all of the efforts to stay positive, the underlying feelings of remorse, sadness, resentment, rejection come flooding back to all four characters.
Where would you spend your last night on earth – I can recommend the Four Horsemen for a fantastic night out, with the lovely Kathy at the helm – and a great mixture of regulars!!
Here is Jane’s chat with Lisa, Pria and Sam a few weeks ago!
‘The Last Quiz Night on Earth’ is at the New Vic until Saturday 1st March – for more details go to newvictheatre.org.uk
