EDINBURGH 2026: Review: DAY OF THE LOCUST, Pleasance
Day of the Locust runs at Edfringe until 31 August
Day of the Locust is a new theatre piece adapted by David Shopland and Callum Patrick Hughes from Nathanael West's 1930's Great American Novel. It is performed by Callum Patrick Hughes and directed by David Shopland and Roann Hassani McCloskey.
Nothing about the original story has been changed aside from the addition of mobile phones and references to ICE raids rather than immigration. The sun beats down on Los Angeles, and our protagonist has travelled to LA with a sense of hope in a time of economic crisis.
Callum Patrick Hughes is an accomplished storyteller and paints a descriptive picture of the setting which feels as relevant today as it does when the text was first written. Taking on a variety of characters, Hughes moves clearly between each one with different accents and mannerisms.
The production is scored by Hughes’ electric guitar, but unusually for a Fake Escape production, this didn’t really add anything to the experience. While his storytelling is excellent, the piece feels a little stagnant in places.
Day of the Locust is a worthwhile new piece of theatre from an extremely capable performer.
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