Tag Archives: Nathan Coenen

Kill Climate Deniers
★★★★

Pleasance Theatre

Kill Climate Deniers

Kill Climate Deniers

Pleasance Theatre

Reviewed – 7th June 2019

★★★★

 

“by thirty minutes in the audience mood has swelled into bonhomie”

 

‘You want to call your play something fun, something playful, something catchy’. So opens this exploration of the overlapping worlds of climate science, denial and activism. The questionable ‘fun’ of the title sums up the tensions that David Finnigan’s writing and Nic Connaughton’s direction unpack; tensions between laugh-out-loud comedy and the very real tragedy of our warming planet.

The ninety minute production in the downstairs Pleasance Space starts a little slowly, understandably. Some narrative explication is needed; this play is meta to the max, and even more so on press night when playwright David Finnigan was both represented on stage, by Nathan Coenen, and sitting within the audience. Coenen, as ‘Finig’, addresses us throughout the play, inserting wry asides and giving context to the ideas that led to his writing a play with quite such an inflammatory title (of which more later).

The otherwise all-female cast is uniformly strong, variously turning their hands to physicality, comedy and pathos, but it’s no surprise that the star of the show is highly-regarded comedian Felicity Ward as earnest but chaotic Environment Minister Gwen Malkin. We watch as Finig’s flippant (or was it?) play title starts to convert into a call to action, and the second phase of the play sees a switch into action with Malkin eventually taking down climate terrorists to an absolutely banging soundtrack of nineties dance classics.

The choreography, by movement director Rubyyy Jones, is exceptional; they deserve note for further enhancing and celebrating the energy of this litany of amazing tracks. Jones’ work and great lighting design from Geoff Hense help the play into gear and by thirty minutes in the audience mood has swelled into bonhomie – aided in no small part by a lively shared rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘You Can Go Your Own Way’. On that note, fans of The Mac be warned; there is plenty of fun gently poked at the rockers, who play an unexpectedly central role. It’s not personal, though; few institutions go un-poked, and there are some especially ripe representations of Australian right-wing commentators and their slippery uses of language.

Uses and abuses of language are a recurring theme. Finig questions whether it was right to use the menacing imperative of the title and opens the night by repeating, mantra-like, ‘sometimes you get it wrong, you get it wrong, you get it wrong…’. By the close of the play, the audience are similarly turned around. Is it right or helpful to remain in ardent opposition to people with whom we may, in fact, have more in common than we realise? And can we ever effect change that will halt our not-so-slow march towards extinction, or would the change itself be harder than we can bear? Sometimes we do all, indeed, get it wrong, and we all are where climate change is concerned. But Finnigan certainly got this one right.

 

Reviewed by Abi Davies

Photography by Ali Wright

 


Kill Climate Deniers

Pleasance Theatre until 28th June

 

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
Bingo | ★★★ | June 2018
Aid Memoir | ★★★ | October 2018
One Duck Down | ★★★★★ | October 2018
The Archive of Educated Hearts | ★★★★ | October 2018
Call Me Vicky | ★★★ | February 2019
Neck Or Nothing | ★★★★ | April 2019
Night Of The Living Dead Live | ★★★ | April 2019
Don’t Look Away | ★★★½ | May 2019
Regen | ★★★ | May 2019
The Millennials | ★★½ | May 2019

 

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Section 2 – 4 Stars

Section

Section 2

The Bunker

Reviewed – 15th June 2018

★★★★

“an excellently truthful depiction of how mental health can affect more than just the sufferer”

 

Within the last week we have heard about the untimely deaths of fashion designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, both of whom tragically committed suicide. So, once again, mental health and its fickle nature has become topic for debate within the media, which makes Paper Creatures’ current production, Section 2, seem even more timely. While shining a light on our mental health system, it is the path to recovery and the strength and support of fellow humanity, which truly lies at the heart of the play.

As the title suggests, it is based around central character Cam (Nathan Coenen) being placed under ‘Section 2’ of the Mental Health Act, within a secure facility. At school he was a rugby champ, and went on to serve in the army, but now finds himself caught up with panic attacks and frequent memory loss. It’s Day 28: possibly the last day of Cam being sectioned and no one has been able to pin point exactly what is wrong with him, or how his mental downturn began, which makes things that much more frustrating for Cam’s long-term girlfriend Kay (Alexandra Da Silva), whose own nerves are only just hanging on by a thread. A decision must be made by Cam’s key worker Rachel (Esmé Patey-Ford) as to whether he is fit to return home or whether he needs more time to recover. Cam’s old friend Pete (Jon Tozzi) has also come to visit, and with Kay having not always seen eye-to-eye with him, causes friction in the waiting room.

Playwright Peter Imms creates an immensely sensitive and stirring piece of writing that accurately and very naturalistically portrays the struggles of dealing with mental health, either as the patient, or, the loved one trying to help them get better. One of the play’s strengths lies in picking up on the mundane of everyday conversations. As characters discuss the likes of whether milk should go first in a cup of tea, or the clichés of bringing grapes to an invalid, this slight, observational humour helps counter-balance the scenes of a more intense or distressing nature.

With Imms having had personal encounters with mental health, and Paper Creatures collaborating with the charity Mind, who offered advice, it appears that all has been done to achieve a well-rounded and authentic account. The four cast-members are collectively strong; all taking great care in coming across genuine and believable – with much success. All in all, an excellently truthful depiction of how mental health can affect more than just the sufferer, and the power that will and determination can hold.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

 

 


Section 2

The Bunker until 7th July

 

Related
Previously reviewed at this venue
Electra | ★★★★ | March 2018
Devil With the Blue Dress | ★★ | April 2018
Conquest | ★★★★ | May 2018

 

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com