by Ed Fortune
One of the things that defines British horror is remote, rural areas. There’s something about farmland, terrible weather and endless mud that makes it perfect for scary stories. The Hunger is a survival horror tale about a mother and daughter who own and live on a pig farm somewhere in Yorkshire.
As the story opens, we swiftly learn that some sort of pandemic has led to the pair staying isolated. Megan is a teenager who is mostly bored, lonely and sick of her mother, Deborah, who insists that she eats something. Anything.
The disease, according to Deborah, has come from processed food and being farmers, they seem to be safe on their own land. The farm itself is still very active and needs constant attention. Outsiders are very much not welcome, as we learn very early on. This lends an increasing sense of claustrophobia and creeping dread to the piece. There’s a ticking clock in the form of a dwindling supply of food, a growing threat (outsiders) and dramatic tension as Megan rails against her mother’s strict rule. The result of this set-up is a remarkable, tense and brilliant hour of theatre.
The stage is quite minimal; wooden panels for the windows of the cottage, a heavy kitchen table and, of course, an ever-present gun. It is a working farm, after all. The performances are quite simply staggering; the dialogue flows naturally, and it’s impossible not to feel for these two outsiders trapped in a world gone wrong. Effortlessly engaging, dark and very topical, this is an extraordinary and strange production. A must for fans of apocalyptic horror and a gripping hour of theatre for everyone else. Recommended.
The Hunger is part of the Edinburgh Fringe until August 28th. You can book tickets here and find out more about the show (including tour information) here.
