BBC Radio 4, March 31, 2020

A new world is being terraformed – but what happens if you’ve been woken years too early?

Adam Usden’s new SF comedy drama mixes a look at the dilemma faced by Sam and Ian, two people from different disciplines who have been woken from cryosleep by their computer far too early; it’s counterpointed with a contemporary relationship between author Sam and Michael, who she meets in the park on a regular basis. There’s a link between the two, and anyone savvy to the tropes of SF is likely to make a good guess what it is early on.

Usden is a Big Finish Dark Shadows alumnus, but this appears to be his first foray into science fiction, and it’s a play that will probably be more appreciated by those who aren’t particularly versed in the genre. There’s quite a lot that’s predictable but Laura Aickman and Tom Rosenthal give it their all as Ian and Sam. Hamish Rush’s Michael in many ways has the clearest trajectory of any of the characters (to which there’s a certain irony) and his final scene with Aickman will strike chords with many people with elderly relatives.

Verdict: A play about two people isolated together for a long time has a certain resonance at the moment – but feels like some untapped potential here. 7/10

Paul Simpson