Scenes from the Climate Era, Belvoir Street Theatre, 27 May-25 June 2023

 David Finnigan's been one of the smartest, most provocative writers of the last couple of years- the 2018 production of "Kill Climate Deniers" (reviewed here) launched him onto the national scene as a fast-moving, fiercely intellectual writer who knew how to entertain an audience even as he made them think. Canberrans who had seen his fondness for the short play as a form already knew this, but "Climate Deniers", provocative title very much attached, made him someone worth watching for more of.

And this time he's back with a kaleidoscopic view of the "Climate Era", the times we're living in, where ecological disasters are happening on a weekly basis around the planet, where the future is not a question of whether we can avoid a dire fate but how many of those dire fates will pile up how fast.  But it's not just a grim collection of statistics tied together for 80 minutes - there's reflections, interrogations, humour, tragedy, emotion and a real sense of both the complexity and the urgency of the problem.

Clarissa Liciardello's production handles a challenging script with aplomb and one huge coup-de-theatre that should not be spoiled (but is the reason why the show has a celiac warning). But for much of the show, it's a simple five-actor-half-a-dozen-chairs-and-a-table show, and Liciardello manages the tone of the show exactly - it's fast without being glib, melancholy without being self-indulgent and constantly shifting in tone without ever feeling anything but unified. It's a deeply invigorating show with a capable ensemble, able to play each of the scenes to their limit without ever making the evening feel heavy. It's a true triumph of theatremaking, with all the tech crew working together to make it work - lighting/set designer Nick Schlieper, costume designer Ella Butler and the intrepid stage management of Luke McGettigan and Christopher Starnawski. 

This kind of show is exactly why Belvoir exists - to bring the modern world into the theatre, and stage it with skill and intelligence to great effect. I left the theare buzzing with excitement . You should too.