Climate science is daunting, argued over and often the subject of political power plays. It’s not surprising overwhelm causes many of us to disconnect. While presenting the very real challenges of our time, this shared experience is reflected and affirmed, while inviting audiences to reconnect, in smart new play Scenes from the Climate Era. Written by Australian playwright David Finnigan, son of a climate scientist, the play zooms in, exploring the impact on singular characters of one of the world’s most pressing issues, as well as taking a step back for a wider view.
In a fast-paced series of vignettes, five actors play 43 different characters, even becoming a cat, a frog and some eels. Each scene is meant to take you in a new direction, examining the issues while dredging a range of different emotions, introducing humorous absurdity, blistering rage, and deep vulnerability, alongside glimpses of hope.
Nī Dekkers-Reihana is one of five performers taking on the challenge of embodying the selection of characters. Working in theatre for over a decade as an actor, but also as a writer and producer, Dekkers-Reihana says their well-rounded past experience helped director Jason Te Kare with casting. “Jason’s deliberately chosen a cast who are theatre-makers themselves, because it’s an ensemble work and it’s quite an interesting, challenging piece, he wants to have a room of collaborators,” the actor explains.
They acknowledge writer David Finnegan has masterfully tackled a big topic in a very personable and relatable way. “It’s a number of short moments across a number of decades and kind of a predicted future that might occur,” they explain, saying the work explores where we’re heading but also our current state. “It feels somewhat cathartic and healing and affirming of that reality. It touches on how hard it is to even think about or conceive where we currently are.”
Dekkers-Reihana says although Finnigan, from Ngunnawal country in Australia, wrote the work with details relevant to the area and its Indigenous people, the playwright has encouraged those who take it on to localise it. To that end, Te Kare has evolved the work slightly, consulting with Dr Daniel Hikuroa, Associate Professor of Māori Studies at Auckland University and an expert on Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar traditionally used to guide planting, harvesting, fishing, and hunting.
“There’s a lot of conversation about indigenous relationship to the whenua, and how a lot of indigenous practices were designed to be sustainable,” points out Dekkers-Reihana. “You only took what the earth could handle you taking, there was a healthy and appropriate give and take,” shares the actor.
The quick transitions between characters isn’t daunting to the actor, having experienced something similar taking part in 2021 play The Haka Party Incident, that again toured the country last year. “Character jumping is definitely in my wheelhouse,” they say, confirming the other actors are also familiar with the demanding performance style. I think there’ll be a lot of joy in the room because we all love to do that kind of work – we’re shapeshifters!”
The ideas raised may seem confronting but Dekkers-Reihana says there is playfulness mixed with provocation, something common in Finnegan’s work, which has previously covered climate issues. “Comedy is an incredible vessel – we can connect to the truth a lot easier when we are doing it through levity. David’s work is all about that.”
The playwright’s six-part performance series about climate change, You’re Safe, has been presented in London, Sydney, Singapore and the Philippines. “He creates things about important and real topics in a way that we can swallow and understands the potential despair that some of these massive conversations can bring. So I think he has a focus on bringing healing, safety and love and joy into those conversations.”
The hope is that the work helps audiences move toward understanding and perhaps action on climate issues. “To start the conversation and to move towards being able to think and talk about it.”
Scenes from the Climate Era
Q Theatre, 2-24 August, 2024
