It’s 2050 and global warming has brought the planet to its knees. London is gripped by drought, Miami has been abandoned because of rising sea levels and cases of historic climate abuse are being tried in the courts. The UN collapsed long ago and has been replaced by New Atlantis, which under the calming leadership of Secretary General Bryony Weller (Tricia Kelly) has restored some order. But the problems of ongoing climate change need to be urgently addressed, and with Weller sick and relinquishing her post early, the leadership of New Atlantis is up for grabs. Will it be the head of Industry, Defence or Reform who gets the job?
You get to vote, but only after you’ve spent 80 minutes wandering the building, hearing what they each have to say and watching what their departments do. Will you vote for Reform, who argue that it’s people’s behaviour that must change, even if it means introducing unpopular policies such as one child per family? Industry claims it can solve problems through creating biofuels and asteroid mining, while Defence reckons that controlling the seas is crucial. Outside, the young are protesting their disenfranchisement and trying to make their voices heard.
It’s a neat idea, but very imperfectly realised in a piece that despite the urgency of its subject matter lacks dramatic focus and momentum. You would actually find out more about climate change and the solutions proposed by spending 80 minutes online than you do by wandering around here and being confronted by scientists who lack acting skills and actors who lack scientific skills. There’s too much nitty gritty and not nearly enough framing information about exactly how this world and New Atlantis operates. There’s zero human interest too: these aren’t characters, just mouthpieces. Less a piece of theatre and more of an imaginatively conceived but poorly executed education project.
• Until 25 January. Tickets: enlightenmentcafe.co.uk.
