FIRE FIRE
Arcola Theatre
★★★
“a thoughtful meditation on our relationship with the Earth”
Fire Fire, written by John Webber and directed by Jennifer Tang, brings together two people who could not initially seem more different. Eddie is holding a memorial for his brother, intending to scatter his ashes, while Paige is closing a road as part of a climate protest. Their first encounter is fiery, and although they repeatedly clash, their paths continue to cross until an unexpected bond begins to form.
The production has a striking simplicity to it, with Peiyao Wang’s set and costume design creating an evocative landscape of soil and steps, complemented by Charly Dunford’s shifting lighting design. The two-hander is punctuated by moments of self-reflection, allowing both characters to share something of their inner worlds. At its heart is an intriguing concept: a meeting between grief and activism, personal loss and collective responsibility, and two people whose different experiences of the world gradually reveal unexpected points of connection. There is also a strong reflection on different points of view, and on how our sense of identity, purpose and connection to ourselves can differ, while underneath it all we may be far more similar than we realise.
There is a lot of potential in this premise, particularly in the way it brings together questions of class, climate, grief and personal responsibility. However, the play sometimes gets caught in a succession of events that leaves little room for the audience to pause and reflect. The stakes are high almost from the beginning, and as they continue to escalate, there are few opportunities to simply sit with the characters or allow their relationship to develop at a quieter pace. The result can feel emotionally tiring rather than increasingly affecting.
Some of the strongest moments are also the simplest. There are flashes of comedy rooted in recognisable human behaviour, and these moments bring a welcome sense of reality to the conversations. More of this grounded, everyday quality could have made the exchanges feel more natural. At times, the dialogue feels closer to a book being read aloud than two people genuinely talking to each other, with the dramatic weight of each new event sometimes taking precedence over the intimacy of the relationship.
The performances, however, are committed and generous. Gabrielle Brooks and Chris Simmons give the production everything, navigating its emotional and physical demands with energy. The moment involving Eddie’s brother’s ashes is particularly beautiful and deeply affecting, creating a rare stillness in a play that otherwise moves relentlessly forward.
Fire Fire offers a thoughtful meditation on our relationship with the Earth, the climate crisis and the direction in which the world is heading. Its central idea of finding common ground between people who appear to occupy opposing sides is timely and full of possibility. With more space to breathe, reflect and allow its characters to simply exist together, the play could perhaps have allowed some of its most powerful ideas to land more deeply.
FIRE FIRE
Arcola Theatre
Reviewed on 11th September 2026
by Nasia Ntalla
Photography by Mark Senior
