Review: THE LAST QUIZ NIGHT ON EARTH, Derby Brewery Arms

Photo credit: Grant Archer

With its original tour being cut short in early 2020, Alison Carr’s The Last Quiz Night on Earth finally makes its comeback thanks to Manchester based theatre company Box of Tricks as they re-embark on their UK tour. 

One of Box of Tricks’ aims as a company is to “uncover new plays that reflect the world in which we live today”. This play certainly manages to achieve its aim well given that it was written a couple of years ago, albeit not in the way of an asteroid coming to destroy the Earth like in the show.

The Last Quiz Night on Earth is unique in several ways but most notably in the choice of venues for the tour, and the fact that audiences get to take part in a pub quiz as they are watching the performance unfurl.  Instead of the more traditional venue of a theatre for a play to be staged at, most of the stops on the tour are in actual pubs across the country.  This site-specific performance approach ties in with the actual quiz and makes this play more of an interactive, immersive experience for the audience. It also allows members of the audience to have a greater connection to the storyline by feeling more involved.

Although there is a good mixture of comedy and heartfelt moments throughout the play showing the relationships of different characters, it sometimes feels as though there needs to be a little more depth of dialogue and audience interaction, as well as use of sound, just to really heighten the performance and add to the high stakes of impending doom.  After all, if it’s the end of the world, they may as well go all out!

The cast is made up of Meriel Scholfield (Kathy), Chris Hoyle (Bobby), Tilly Sutcliffe (Fran), and of course not forgetting Matthew Khan, who gives a standout performance as quizmaster Rav with his high energy, charisma, and natural showmanship.  All performers work well together under Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder’s direction to allow smooth transitions between the quiz and the actual storyline of the piece.

This comedic show spreads joy, laughter, and positivity by telling us that the beloved British pub culture is our country’s way of coming together through the good and the bad no matter who you are, and that life is too short to let opportunities pass you by. 

Head on down to your local to drink in good company and go out with a bang on this last night of the world with The Last Quiz Night on Earth, and why not see if you can beat our 24 points in quizmaster Rav’s “End of the World Quiz”, Besties!

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Jess Dalloway

The Last Quiz Night on Earth tours until 3 April, with more information and details on how to book here.