Full cast announced for searing satire
Kill Climate Deniers
Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF
Tuesday 4th – Friday 28th June 2019
Does the end justify the means?
Joining the cast of the European premiere of Kill Climate Deniers are Home and Away’s Kelly Paterniti as Bekken, the critically acclaimed stand-up Bec Hill as Catch and Coronation Street’s Hannah Ellis Ryan. Exploring in parallel a hostage situation as it teeters on the brink of calamity and what happened when writer David Finnigan first tried to stage this play, the production blends fact and fiction as Nathan Coenen stars as Finig (The Sleepover Club; Teen Wolf).
They will be seen alongside the previously announced Felicity Ward who will make her UK theatre debut as Environment Minister Gwen Malkin whose plan to stop climate change is rudely interrupted when a group of eco-terrorists storm Australia’s Parliament House during a Fleetwood Mac concert. A fun action piece wrapped in a TED talk, David Finnigan’s incendiary play Kill Climate Deniers has provoked, enraged and delighted audiences and critics alike.
After running close to the line of breaking the law in Australia against the reckless use of language to incite terrorism, prompting debate in state parliament about whether his government funding should be revoked, and being targeted by Breitbart and Infowars, David Finnigan has kindled outrage to spur people out of complacency – what would it take to get instant action to combat climate change? Terrorism and a hostage situation?
More than just a play about climate change and the end of civilisation as we know it, Kill Climate Deniers is about the power of echo chambers, about political division, about a public distrustful and disinterested in experts. This is a play about failing to talk about the issues that matter most; it features action sequences Sylvester Stallone would be proud of.
Director Nic Connaughton comments, With climate protests taking over the streets, schools, and even British Parliament, it feels right to be presenting the European premiere of David Finnigan’s brave, bold and darkly satiric play now. Whilst set within the specifics of the Australian climate change debate, it chillingly foreshadows where the public discourse in the UK could be headed. We have brought together an incredible cast of actors to bring out both the hilarity and the pathos of this startling and original new play, which is both a lesson and a warning
As part of the run at the Pleasance, there will be the Environmental Activism Post-Show Q&A on Wednesday 19th June with Extinction Rebellion and Greenpeace to discuss how to lobby for change as well as an EcoMarket on Saturday 15th June which will offer everything from sustainable clothes to eco-food. There will also be a post-show Q&A with the cast, with the creatives and a work-in-progress performance of Think Bigly about sustainability and how you, finance and policy can be part of the solution.