We speak to the director of a new Unity Theatre show that looks at what happens when the world ends

A brand new comedy is coming to Unity Theatre that takes a quirky look at what happens when the world ends.

The Intrusion is a collaboration between Bric à Brac Theatre and Told by an Idiot which encourages audiences to have a laugh then think more about the serious issues at the heart of the show, which comes to Unity Theatre on Saturday March 29.

Featuring original music, the dark dystopian comedy starts with the worst possible outcome, when the human race has gone and just one species remains.

“The only thing we think will have survived is a new democracy of cockroaches because scientifically everyone believes that’s the only thing that can survive the end of the world,” says director of Bric à Brac and The Intrusion, Anna Marshall.

“These cockroaches want to start their own world and rebuild but they start making the same mistakes that the humans made.

“What the play does is look at corrupt governments, collective responsibility and accountability from tech billionaires, and the larger picture when it comes to climate change.

“If you have dwindling resources, who deserves what and why do they think they deserve it? How do you survive in an ethical way?

“But at the same time it’s really important that we make sure audiences laugh and have a good time because it is just a ridiculous concept even though it has a deep and hard-hitting political message.”

The Intrusion’s characters are realised in a stylish way, so audiences shouldn’t expect actors in cockroach costumes, it’s really about the questions the idea raises.

“What we’re trying to do is poke an audience and say ‘how do you feel about this?  Is there anything we could do?’,” adds Anna.

“It’s a really big concept, so this is just a space you could bring someone who maybe you’ve never talked to about climate change, you enjoy a fun show and afterwards you start that conversation, ‘what would you do at the end of the world?’ 

“It’s a gentle way to open up that chat by laughing at this comical story instead of being preachy or telling audiences that they’re not doing enough because we’re all trying in our different ways. We all know that we don’t want a climate crisis to happen.”

Anna says the two theatre companies have been working with climate specialists as they’ve devised the play.

The message from the experts is that doing your bit doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

“It’s more about the small steps you can make every day rather than thinking, it seems too much, so I’ll just give up. Then all those difference choices start adding up.”

The Intrusion will be performed for audiences for the first time at Unity Theatre on Saturday March 29.

“Hopefully they will laugh, have moments of real contemplation and there’s a bit of an interactive moment where we ask audiences to write something,” says Anna. “This is our first time at Unity and it just feels like the most supportive energetic vibe so we can’t wait.”

Buy tickets to see The Intrusion on the Unity Theatre website here.

Find out what else is coming to the stage in Liverpool here.