Surprisingly, The Last Days of Mankind is the very first co-production between the Bristol Old Vic and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
The English premier of the play by Karl Kraus has a cast of characters that don’t make it initially easy to follow.
But this is a play that was originally 800 pages long and requiring a cast of 500 in its unedited form, so we have got lucky.
Even with this number on stage, the direction has to be precise, and John Retallack and Toby Hulse have some impressive touches, especially as a background of giant letterpresses rises up to be replaced by a long sloping walkway bathed in red light and smoke – something altogether more sinister.
As war becomes an increasing reality, cheery vignettes also begin to have darker overtones, but humour is never far from the surface.
A witty and sparkling production, The Last Days of Mankind will hopefully be the first of many in a newly forged partnership between Bristol’s premier theatre and its premier theatre school.
The Last Days of Mankind is at the Bristol Old Vic until June 29. Visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk/mankind.html for tickets and more information.
