A cosy village mystery collides with cosmic unease in this sharp, sci-fi tinged comedy.Rating
Good
New writing venue Playhouse East’s inaugural Fringe Feb festival offers a one-night glimpse into Esme Waters’ Living with an Alien, a staged reading that blends Agatha Christie-style intrigue with a playful science fiction undercurrent. What begins as a quaint portrait of a close-knit rural community quickly spirals into something far stranger when a shocking murder disrupts the village’s quiet rhythms.
Despite having only twenty-four hours to rehearse, director Rafael Solimeno-Harris and a cast of seven deliver a remarkably assured performance. Even within the constraints of a staged reading, the ensemble conjures the claustrophobic charm of a small community rattled by rumours, revelations, and the creeping suspicion that something decidedly non-human is afoot.
Waters’ strength lies in her character writing. Each villager is distinct and memorable – from Steevan Glover’s cantankerous yet oddly endearing Uncle Frederick to Gwithian Evans’ long-suffering Michael, a man desperate to escape both his circumstances and his unnervingly composed wife Lara, played with quiet menace by Lotte Pearl. The opening scene at a village meeting is a highlight, introducing the ensemble with brisk humour as they debate mysterious noises plaguing the community. Adrian, a sardonic journalist and Michael’s confidant, keeps the banter lively as he debates the sceptical psychiatrist Graham – until Dr Simon arrives with news of a murder and injuries that defy earthly explanation. The tonal shift is swift and effective.
Humour remains threaded throughout, buoying the narrative even as the plot edges into eerie territory. Waters toys with red herrings and misdirection, though the eventual resolution arrives more straightforwardly than expected. The third act, in particular, wraps up with surprising neatness, leaving a yearning for a final darker twist to match the story’s earlier promise.
Waters’ work has echoes of Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass series and the cosmic-horror of HP Lovecraft mingled with the structure and wit of a Christie mystery. The result is a lively, engaging piece with strong potential, delivered here with energy and professionalism by a cast who make the most of every moment.
Written by Esme Waters
Directed by Rafael Solimeno-Harris
Living With An Alien has completed its current run.
