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Open air theatre is one of the delights of living in Norfolk in the summer, and Strange Fascination Theatre have been a consistent provider of well presented and entertaining shows. There are many more variables in an open air setting, and this unpredictability itself sometimes becomes a part of the drama.

HG Wells wrote many powerful science fiction dramas before the term was even coined, and War of the Worlds is probably his best known work. The premise is straightforward, technologically superior beings from Mars raid Earth to plunder the resources here. Their warfare is unstoppable by conventional means, yet their mission is doomed to fail in an unexpected way.

Strange Fascination Theatre perform this exciting drama with just three actors, who undertake a breathtaking and well choreographed series of character swaps while never leaving the audience confused, thanks to a careful blend of good character acting and minimal but stylish props and costumes.

Arianna Gasperini plays the perceptive astronomer Ogilvy who first spots the Martian approach, and a rather obsessive priest who seems determined to put any mischance down to the will of God. Daisy Plackett pops up as a Martian quite often, but also a rather feisty artilleryman who gives a commentary on the military challenge facing the local people affected by the invasion. Daisy also created the costumes and props for the play, giving us some nice immediately recognisable conventions such as a chiffon sheet that signifies the deadly Martian heat ray weapon that wipes out any hapless humans in its way. Simon Morgan is the narrator who tells the story while we follow his own desperate quest to get back to Kensington and find his wife in what is left of a war ravaged London. His clear and powerful voice meant that everyone in the capacity audience at Hoveton Hall could follow every nuance of the tale easily.

The mood of the darker scenes is set by an appropriate musical background. The cast manage to turn a sunny afternoon in a beautiful walled garden into a dark and gripping drama as our imaginations are fed by the performers in front of us, and sometimes amongst us.

If you plan to see this show take something comfy to sit on, maybe a drink and a snack, and let Strange Fascination Theatre take you back a hundred years to what could have been the end of our world. Just watch out for that Martian heat ray! It is a great performance, just the right length and while it is a scary story it is perfect for a memorable family day out. We enjoyed this show enormously and it gave us an excuse to carry on to the seaside later in the afternoon to escape the summer heat.

© Julian Swainson
Norwich Eye
17 August 2025

To find out more about this show and company have a look at: https://www.facebook.com/strangefascinationtheatre/?locale=en_GB
Tickets for upcoming shows: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/strange-fascination-theatre