'AWESOME' Welles was just one of the names given to one of America's film, theatre and all-round creative geniuses.

Orson Welles certainly knew how to attract attention to his considerable talents.

His radio adaptation of the H.G Wells' classic War of the Worlds was just one production that became a story in its own right and subsequently global news.

And why? Because it is said many people in New Jersey thought that earth had actually been invaded by aliens.

Or did they?

Orson's version of teh sci-fi classic vcertainly achieved his aim to 'feel real.'

Wirral Globe:

Production image from 'War of the worlds' by Luke Forsythe

Rhum and Clay Theatre Company now use this backdrop to explore the bigger picture of fake news.

This is not a re-anactment of the programme made for the Halloween of 1938.

And the vibrant company take the audience with them on a clever piece of theatrical time travel.

Rhum and Clay are renowned for physical theatre but here they become more wordy - never wasting a peice of telling dialogue.

Wirral Globe:

Production image from 'War of the worlds' by Luke Forsythe

Directors Hamish MacDougal and Julian Spooner (also one of four performers) take on a variety fo characters: a quarter of pipe-smoking Orsons; an all American family; an ambitious podcaster and investigatuve news reporters and a deluded internet manager of misinformation.

Using back projection and striking use of lighting and sound this is a piece of storytelleing as compelling as the recent Playhouse visit of Imitating The Dog and their Dracula Untold success.

Wirral Globe:

Production image from 'War of the worlds' by Luke Forsythe

This is one of those pieces of drama where the audience have to listen and work just as hard as the cast.

Could Orson's broadcast have had the same reaction today? That question is posed with a dramatic switch to 2016.

Wirral Globe:

This is a two-hour (including interval) theatrical experience that takes a while to heat up like those old pre-war radios, but once you get on their wavelength you will come away thinking about truth and fake news in a new flashing light.

'Awesome' Welles would have liked that.

The production is on until Saturday

Globe verdict - four stars, radio daze!

Tickets from: 0151 709 4776