The Intrusion - Northern Arts Review
at the Leeds Playhouse
The Intrusion- Northern Arts
Are you ready for the season finale of human existence? That’s the question The Intrusion playfully (and ominously) poses as it drags us into a dystopian world filled with humour, political satire, and existential dread. I absolutely loved this small, experimental dark comedy, which expertly balances absurdity and poignancy. Devised by Bric à Brac Theatre and Told by an Idiot, The Intrusion offers a creative and humorous approach to the climate crisis as it follows a group of survivors navigating a post-apocalyptic world. Through inventive storytelling, biting satire, and a powerhouse cast, the production makes one thing clear: humanity may be gone, but power struggles, paranoia and greed endure.
The story follows an underground community, self-titled The Intrusion, who await their moment to reclaim the surface after a chain of extinction events has wiped out humanity. At the helm is their charismatic leader, Cecille and she is flanked by Chesney, her devoted second-in-command and Heidi, her German-speaking hench-woman. The Intrusion believe that survival is their right, insisting, “We were here first, and we will be here last.” As they count down the days until their triumphant return, cracks in their ideology begin to emerge. Resources running low, fear and control tighten their grip, and Cecille’s hunger for power starts to mirror the very systems that led to humanity’s downfall. The arrival of an unexpected outsider—one who shouldn’t have survived—throws everything into question, forcing The Intrusion to decide what survival truly means.
At its core, The Intrusion is a scalpel-sharp critique of climate inaction, capitalism, and the cyclical nature of power. The play draws an eerie parallel between the billionaires who abandon humanity to live out the apocalypse in their bunkers and Cecille, who manipulates anxiety and dwindling resources to ensure her own survival. Echoing the fear tactics exploited by modern media, she uses a traffic light system of manufactured panic to control the minds of her followers. While the play is filled with moments of laughter, its final message is a stark call to action, reminding audiences that recycling isn’t enough if the world needs riots.
To see my full review, please visit Northern Arts Review
See you in the shadows my loves,
Sean x
