DAY 8: A Peek Into the Future and a Flash from the Past
What happens when what started on the “fringe” takes centrestage?
It becomes a global celebration of everything art. For 78 years, the cobblestones of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have witnessed the move of the margin to the mainstream. …And this year, it will also give volume to the 50 curated climate narratives that refuse to stay silent.
Storyteller and Arts Enthusiast Himali Kothari reports from Edinburgh.
Day 8: Today is a special day. My play ‘Friends for Life’ will be performed at Venue 13 as part of the CCTA programme. I have seen it performed thrice before — the first time online by the students of a Canadian university, then in person by theatre students in Graz, Austria, and last year by the B.Voc. in Theatre and Stagecraft students of Wilson College in Mumbai. Each production brought the ethos of its own context, and I am excited to see today’s rendition. My play is loosely based on the jalsahelis of Madhya Pradesh and how a singular resolve can ripple into making a huge difference.
Two other plays will be read alongside mine: Brackendale by Elaine Avila and Blood on the Leaves by Madeline Sayet. The first follows a conversation between two eagles at a garbage dump as they forage for the “right” food. Avila credits plays by fellow CCTA playwrights for inspiring her, as they “weren’t afraid to tell funny/sweet stories about non-human characters, and I noticed how effective this was for audiences and me.”
Sayet’s play is based on the traditional story of the hunter and the bear, passed on by Gladys Tantaquidgeon. The play highlights the importance of the role of each earthly being in ensuring that the cycle of life continues. The writer seeks to remind us that “humans were always meant to make sacrifices so that nature can do what it needs, not the other way around.” Today’s Programme is curated as a joint effort by three climate-focused initiatives. Essex-based Wise Ram Theatre’s productions “explore climate change with humour, nerve, and heart.” They share their expertise with the wider community through monthly workshops on bringing the climate crisis to the stage.
The Carbon Literacy Project and Theatre Green Book are the other two organisations involved in today’s curation. The former was recognised by the United Nations at COP21 as one of 100 worldwide Transformative Action Programmes for increasing carbon literacy by raising awareness about how we can each contribute to addressing the climate crisis and reducing our carbon footprint. The latter is a collective initiative that began with theatre-makers in the UK but has since expanded to include the global performing arts industry. It has created a shared language on how theatre can work sustainably and offers guidance for anyone working in any role within the performing arts.
Mass Media Makes Space for the Looming Crisis
After the play reading, the staging space melts into the audience space to create a conversation circle. Co-director of Wise Ram, Sofia Bagge, brings the audience and the production team together for a discussion on how the climate crisis is finding its place in mass media. Many examples emerge — some subtle, such as the latest Bridget Jones film, where Bridget works as a climate consultant, and the Ted Lasso series, which addresses the issue of oil company sponsorship. Others take a more direct approach, like the 2015 documentary Tomorrow, which urges us not to give in to despair by assuming catastrophe is inevitable, instead spotlighting solutions to challenges from ten countries around the world.
At the Fringe this year, several productions — apart from CCTA — place the climate crisis at the heart of their narratives. One that has been running to full houses is the musical Hot Mess, which explores the relationship between Earth and Humanity as they go through dating, passion, love… and the ultimate break-up. The conversation offers hope that the individual goals of entertainment and environmental advocacy can not only coexist but perhaps thrive in a symbiotic relationship.
Farcical Fo to End the Day
The last stop for the day takes me to Edinburgh New Town, only 250-odd years old compared to the 1000-plus-year-old Old Town. Dario Fo’s Virtuous Burglar has seen multiple adaptations and productions over the years. This staging is set in a more traditional proscenium-like space, albeit a small one. The one-hour show ticks all the boxes of a classical production — from the set, lights, and costumes to the performances.
Exaggerated falls, stage whispers and winks, melodramatic “aw”s, and shrill laughter… they all come together to deliver a fun rendition of Fo’s most popular work. While I am all for new-age productions and innovative use of stage and text, there is also something to be said for serving old wine in the same bottle in which it was originally stored.
