Hello, Asteroid is a one-man existential musical comedy, brainchild of composer, writer and performer Hamish Pickering.

There’s an hour left to go before an asteroid hits planet earth; what more is there to do than sit alone, drink red wine, and sing to your ferns? Pickering masterfully guides the audience through his life, reflecting on his own foibles, lamenting on his lost loves and satirising his own insecurities.

Pickering is a brilliant performer, carefully leading the audience through an emotionally complex show with charming self-awareness. The pacing of the show is excellently done, the “highs” well timed and counterbalanced by pools of stillness where the audience is invited to experience Hamish’s despair in the darker moments of his reflection.

Pickering’s vocals are on point throughout, and I get the sense that he could sing just about anything and the audience would adore it! The writing is incisive, funny, biting and poignant; decidedly reminiscent of Tim Minchin, but never derivative. The music was well placed and fit nicely alongside the dialogue to provide a seamless transition through the points of reflection. Despite the darker moments and the deeper themes of exploration of love and humanity; the show is very much a comedy and moments of the absurd lighten what would otherwise be a heavy show with well timed comedic numbers.

Hello, Asteroid also includes a dose of improv, with Pickering regularly asking the audience for input to key questions such as, “What is the meaning of life?” (42, obviously) and “What was your happiest moment?” – the improv responses were well managed and skilfully incorporated into the weave of the show.

The set and staging are minimal, just a few choice pieces suggestive of an apartment, and the sound design perfectly balanced and executed.

Overall, Hello, Asteroid was a wonderful piece of contemporary musical theatre. It touches the audience with its comedy, music and heart, and is highly recommended for lovers of satire and musical comedy.