Melbourne Theatre Company's production of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds

Coleman ( Terra Nullius ) re-envisions H. G. Wells’ novel about interplanetary conflict.

First published in 1898, The War of the Worlds gained notoriety in 1938, when Orson Welles convinced listeners his radio drama about an ongoing Martian invasion was actually happening outside their homes. The book has since inspired countless adaptations and homages, but none with the warmth, humour and inventive theatricality of this one-person telling from a First Nations perspective, starring Miela Anich ( Much Ado About Nothing ).

A late-night distress call draws a woman to a disaster zone in Gippsland. There, she witnesses another unwanted arrival – a hostile alien force armed with devastating technology. The invaders move to subdue and claim the land. But she won’t go down without a fight.

Wells drew inspiration for the novel from the catastrophic effects of European colonisation on the Palawa people of Lutruwita (Tasmania), and now, through the ingenious lens of Coleman and co-creator/director Joe Paradise Lui , this adventurous reimagining turns a classic invasion story into something entirely its own.

“Tender, funny and deeply human.” ★★★★★, The Scoop.

“A multifaceted looking glass that highlights some of the most topical concerns of our time.” ArtsHub ★★★½.