by Ed Fortune

Hive is a nifty, low-key science fiction tale. We join conservationist Ria and her child, Salve, as they explore an unfinished high-rise building. Some sort of weird insect has made the construction its home, and Ria has dragged her daughter along to work in order to investigate.

This is a very warm, well-performed two-hander. Salve is angry that their life has changed recently and is very much the reluctant teenager as the pair explore what is essentially a haunted building. This is a show that explores change, grief and the loss of a loved one. It contains some mild peril and some brilliantly staged moments, which use lighting and simple props to transport the audience to the home of the Hive.

Creepy insects in a building is a nice premise for a show, and the storytelling is good. The pacing is a little flabby in the middle, and this is perhaps the primary antagonist of the story is sort of weak. The story relies on a villainous, greedy corporate type to move the story forward, who we never really meet; the two actors play the show’s main protagonists instead. Though the narrative has a few nods to this third character having actual motivations and needs, it just feels like they exist to be a foil for the main characters.

This, combined with the alien/supernatural weirdness of the show’s titular Hive, makes something of a disconnect. There’s an excellent, Doctor Who-style sci-fi story that’s really about people here, but it’s locked up in a story that relies too much on deus ex machina for plot resolution. Hive is one of those shows that feels like it’s part of a larger, more complicated story and thus lacks a certain something. However, excellent acting, direction, sound design and lighting make up for this mildly disappointing script. We do hope to see more science fiction from these creators soon.

You can find out more about the Mushmoss Collective and future performances of Hive here.