Last night I attended Underground Theatre Co’s production of “Scenes from the Climate Era”, written by climate activist and theatre maker David Finnigan.
I went in cold; I didn’t know anything about it. I recognized a few of the actors, I knew the venue and I expected it to be heavy and probably depressing.
It was heavy and intense. Most I agreed with, some scenarios just annoyed me, but the important and impressive thing is I was invested and reacting with my thoughts and emotions.
This play is about past climate crises and possible future crises. Giving scenarios in first person from actual events or possible events. Cyclones, fires, heat waves and human reactions. Climate change is complex, chaotic and not a quick fix.
The Geoffrey Rush Studio is under the old Schonell Theatre – closed since 2021 while UQ work out what they do with it. But luckily for UTC the studio is available to them and is an intimate space with tiered seating and ample room for a flat or raised stage.
The set was kept simple – white and black chairs lined up at the edge of the stage, a white and black table to be both table and raised podium, a backdrop that was back lit to create imagery from the actors and atmospheric conditions.
The lighting was simple but used well to set up different scenarios, as was the use of sound. With such a simple set and no costume changes the use of these could have been even more predominant without overpowering the actors or storyline.
You could tell the creatives were all passionate about this play and all gave an emotive performance.
The 8-member cast of Cullyn Beckton, Ava Kozlovskis, Lara-Kate Anderson, Abigail Thomas, Loretta Melit, Miller Braithwaite, Ruby Gleeson and Georgie Falting are all to be congratulated along with 12 creatives led by director Jai Bofinger rehearsed and brought this to production in only 7 weeks. There are 65 scenes to cover a range of human emotions and experiences.
This is a journey that invites you to listen to the danger of climate change from sharing and witnessing experiences with the actors on stage.
It runs for 90 minutes, and an interval would have given the audience a reprieve from the intensity and a chance to catch up with all the information. In saying that the actors were totally committed and an interval may have derailed the emotions and pace of the play.
Did I enjoy it you may ask. I often question my choices when thinking of the effects on the climate. My recent Shein purchases, takeaway plastic containers – this play set out to remind me that we are all part of the solution. But did I enjoy it.
YES – because I like being challenged and i was entertained. This play would not have been on my radar but as I had never seen or heard of it or the playwright, i was curious, and i was not disappointed. For further research and information look up the writer, David Finnigan, he is an interesting character himself.
It runs until the 25 April, tickets on Trybooking.com $20-$35
To book tickets to ‘Scenes from the Climate Era’ by David Finnigan, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1560499.
