RESILIENCE (The Contingency Plan) To 6 June.
London
RESILIENCE
(The Contingency Plan) by Steve Waters.
Bush Theatre In rep to 6 June 2009.
13-16, 21-23, 27-30 May, 4-6 June 7.30pm.
Audio--described 16 May.
Captioned 23 May.
Runs 2hr 15min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 8743 5050.
www.bushtheatre.co.uk
Review: Carole Woddis 7 May.
Climatology with clout.
Resilience is the second play in Steve Waters’ cracking new two-part climate change drama at the Bush. If the significance of the overall title was revealed only slightly towards the climax of On the Beach, in Resilience contingency becomes the focal point.
Exactly what contingency plans have central government prepared in the event of predicted rising sea levels? And exactly whose predictions are being heard? The scientist who warns of impending danger? Or the one who gives politicians what will be most politically expedient?
If you can hear the sound of a rave beginning to leak through into this review, you will be right. It’s very hard to keep things in perspective given the quality of the writing, the superlative acting and the pertinence of the subject – particularly in these feverish political times.
A rib-tickler and a political thriller with muscle and conscience, once again the nature of scientific evidence (as in On the Beach) is under scrutiny and at bay in a `doomsday’ apocalyptic setting. The predictions of Robin, the retired glaciologist in On the Beach are coming true: Bristol has flooded and coastal surges are threatening to engulf East Anglia, including Norfolk itself.
In Resilience, Waters repeats the same time-scale of events as in On the Beach, only this time they’re seen through the clash of interests and personalities in Whitehall. Cue Robin’s past nemesis – another glaciologist, called Jenks (played by Robin Soans, who played Robin in the first play) – two Tory Ministers (this is a futuristic scenario but not so very far distant) and Will, Robin’s son and Sarika, his girl friend from On the Beach.
Personal heartbreak for Will is played-out against this political background which, so acute and up-to-date is Waters’ dialogue, would be pure bliss were it not for the tragedy at its core. As Tessa Fortnum, Minister for Resilience – a cross between Mrs Thatcher and Hazel Blears - Susan Brown (Robin’s wife in the first play) is mesmerising. Go to watch her lock horns with David Bark-Jones’s bumbling`new’ Tory Minister for Climate Change. But go, too, to be informed and frightened into action.
Christopher Casson: David Bark-Jones.
Colin Jenks: Robin Soans.
Tessa Fortnum: Susan Brown.
Will Paxton: Geoffrey Streatfield.
Sarika Chatterjee: Stephanie Street.
Director: Tamara Harvey.
Designer: Tom Scutt.
Lighting: Oliver Fenwick.
Sound: Emma Laxton.
Associate director: Hannah Ashwell-Dickinson.
Assistant director: Francesca Seeley.
Assistant designer: Verity Sadler.
2009-05-11 03:22:07