Delectable Shelter

Delectable Shelter begins at the end of the world. Just as humanity enters its darkest hour, a wealthy family is bundled into a shelter deep below the surface of the earth. It will be their job to keep breeding, their descendants to repopulate the earth in 350 years' time. The fact is, though, they were chosen for their wealth, not their intelligence. The family is joined by one of designers of shelter project, Tor (Jolyon James). Tor is the strongest character, a buffoon in his own right but with more sinister motivations than in the others. He sees himself as the designer of the post-apocalyptic society and he will take any means to achieve them. As a satirical comedy, the play – written and directed by The Hayloft Project's Benedict Hardie – doesn't quite work. Despite a handful of moments that produce genuine laughter, it never really achieves a confident, comical stride. The satire of the privileged Western society's mid crisis of confidence is well observed but never really cutting. The coup de grace of the production is the remarkable set by Claude Marcus. A single claustrophobic box that strikes a fine line of being ordinary and hellish at the same time by way of hideously bland wallpaper and matching furniture. The darkness of the play feels right at home in such a space.