You’ve written the show. When did the idea first come to you, and how was the process of teasing it out?

I wrote the first draft in 2019 as part of PlayBox – Box of Tricks’ early career playwright on attachment scheme. They give you the freedom to write whatever you want, so I wanted to challenge myself and do something that went to a really heightened, magical place. I was inspired by that feeling of teenage restlessness, of wanting to just get out and away, and I needed to find a big theatrical image to translate that feeling into something visual – hence, a boy turns into a bird!

I learned a lot during the development process – it was the first time I’d worked with a dramaturg from the first seed of an idea through to full production. Having Adam (Quayle, the director) there to support and push me was absolutely brilliant, as was the opportunity to R&D the play with actors. It gave me a framework that I now apply to everything I write.

The show has been in development for a few years. What’s changed during that time?

At a very basic level, the first treatment (which is like an outline) was for a three-hander. The character of Cleo (a Zoological Field Assistant for the British Antarctic Survey) was then introduced at some point just before writing the first draft, and I think her character has undergone the most change throughout the writing process. Given that she’s so isolated from the others, I spent a lot of time trying to ensure she still feels part of their world, and that she feels like a daughter and sister, and not just a mouthpiece for environmental issues. Workshops with actors (who are magic) have been absolutely instrumental in refining, clarifying, and fleshing out all four of the characters.

More generally (and sadly), the themes and questions within the play regarding climate crisis are only getting more urgent. When I started writing it, I was cautious about being ‘on the nose’ or ‘preachy.’ In the years since that first draft, we’ve seen increasing disruption, destruction, and displacement due to climate crisis – and we know that this brings increased risk of e.g., pandemics. So, in the later drafts I worried less about subtlety when it comes to expressing the urgency of the problem.

If you could offer a single sentence to encourage someone to see the show who might not otherwise, what would you say?

It’s got good jokes, transformation, sad bits, big ideas, and one really solid Deirdre Barlow impression.

I understand you worked with experts to make the tour as sustainable as possible. Could you talk more about this, and the reason why?

Given the themes of the play, it felt important that sustainability was factored into the production itself. Our sustainability consultant Robin Lyons (Ergon Theatre) gave the team carbon literacy training, bringing us up to speed on the big concepts relating to climate crisis. He also advised on how we can make the production more sustainable – for example, the costumes are second hand, and a lot of the set has been repurposed from previous projects. Robin will monitor the carbon footprint of the tour, and helped us create a green rider, which is a document we give to venues with requests and provocations relating to e.g., waste, energy use, and travel. For example, does the venue make information about public transport available to audiences? Who is their energy provider, and are they on a green tariff? Touring isn’t the most environmentally friendly way of doing theatre, but it provides an opportunity to start conversations about climate and sustainable theatre-making with venues and audiences across the country.

Really interesting to hear about those sustainability measures. Do you see the industry adopting this more widely?

It seems to be becoming more widespread, and there are initiatives and organisations like Theatre Green Book, Julie’s Bicycle and Albert pushing for change. But I’m also aware that making theatre at all at the moment is incredibly difficult – and with scarce funding, time and resources, sustainability might not be everyone’s top priority. That said, environmentally friendly options are often cheaper, and there are lots of ways to factor sustainability into your work. There’s an exciting creative provocation in asking what you can do within your role to be more sustainable or raise awareness. Just having that conversation with your team is a good starting point. Writers might think it’s more of a production issue, but climate crisis affects everyone in all places – so chances are it has some bearing on your characters and their environment. I’m not saying every play you write has to be ‘about’ climate emergency, but thinking through that lens can unlock surprising and compelling layers to your story.

What are your thoughts on the power of theatre to enact change, particularly around social or environmental issues?

I think theatre – and storytelling more broadly – is a powerful tool for change, provided it is made accessible to as many people as possible. If you are fortunate enough to live in a place that is not yet badly affected by climate crisis, it can feel like a huge, intangible issue. It’s frightening, and the impulse is to turn away. Stories can provide more grounded, personal ‘ways in’ that help us engage emotionally with the subject, without denying its terrifying reality. Theatre is also about imagining otherwise – thinking about alternative possibilities and ways of seeing the world. To tackle climate crisis, we need to imagine otherwise because the status quo isn’t working. I’m really excited about the creative potential of collaborations between artists and scientists – not just in theatre, but in film, poetry, TV, music… Everything!

The show has begun touring the country. How’s the tour going?

It’s going well! After opening at HOME in Manchester, the show moved onto Shrewsbury last week, and next week will be in Keswick, Scarborough, and Liverpool. It’s an odd feeling to be sat at home whilst the play goes off on its adventures – but the cast are fantastic, as are our CSM Phoebe Delafaye, and Touring Production Manager Rob Athorn, so I know it’s in safe hands. I’ll be dropping in at a few venues throughout the tour, and I look forward to seeing how it resonates with different audiences. It’s also been a lovely opportunity to connect with artists from all over – we’re having a writers’ social in Liverpool next week, I can’t wait!

What’s next for you?

I’m working on a new play called PEAK STUFF with ThickSkin Theatre. It’s about our relationship with ‘stuff’ – and how we end up in these cycles of accumulating more and more of it, regardless of whether it’s good for us or the planet. Sounds bleak, I know… I promise it’s got some jokes in too (and it goes to some weird places…) ThickSkin are a very movement-led company, so we’re working towards something that hopefully feels visually dynamic, fast-paced, and exciting. It’s a project that’s making me think differently about writing and collaborating, which has been ace.

Will Amott, 29th March, 2023

Photo credit: Lucas Smith Photography