The inaugural London Climate Change Festival will take place at Charing Cross Theatre, London from 23 March until 16 May 2020, in conjunction with the London transfer of Christopher Durang’s Tony Award-winning play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike starring two time Olivier Award-winner Janie Dee, Rebecca Lacey and Michelle Asante, directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie.
Contributors from the arts, science and business will come together before and after performances to talk, entertain and explore ways to live in better harmony with our planet. Proceeds from the events will be split between City to Sea, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and to put towards further activities for the London Climate Change Festival.
“The Festival is to inform, inspire and bring hope. We as individuals can make a huge difference if we have help and focus. The Charing Cross Theatre is a perfect intimate venue with its cafe/restaurant, bar and gorgeous theatre – a great place to safely have some possibly difficult, but always fascinating conversations and move forward with knowledge. Together – we’re all responsible.” said Janie Dee one of the producers. “Watching my son marching last year through the streets of London shouting ‘Save our Planet’ was all I needed to want to encourage this.”
For eight weeks the Charing Cross Theatre will provide a home for real education with joy. During the day, Wild Geese will provide workshops for school groups encouraging them through games and scenes to write their own one act play on the subject of our planet, and explore other creative ideas. These workshops will also enable the children to share their thoughts and ideas for lowering carbon emissions and eradicating the use of plastic.
In addition, the Victoria & Albert Museum has kindly donated some of their recent, inspirational FOOD: Bigger than the Plate exhibition; and there will be displays of key information on Climate Change and how to individually reverse it.
Artists from across the board will be speaking, performing and attending, along with activists, scientists and journalists. There will be ecologically sound food available, discussions, talks, performances, cabaret, stand-up and accurate information.
On Wednesdays and Thursdays across the festival, there will be discussions with audience Q&As with leading scientists, environmentalists, psychologists and psychotherapists including Bella Lack (30 March), Caroline Hickman from Climate Psychology Alliance, John Sauven from Greenpeace (31 March), Tessa Clarke from Olio (1 & 29 April), and from the Grantham Institute, Prof Martin Siegert, Dr Audrey De Nazelle, Dr Ajay Gambhir and Dr Neil Jennings; with a ‘warm up’ at 7pm with 20 minutes of stand-up comedy followed by the performance of Christopher Durang’s play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.
Post show in the bar on Monday and Tuesday evenings from 10pm there will be ‘cool down’ cabaret from talent including Angus Barr (23 March), Natalie Fee (24 March), Cantabile (14 April), Joe Stilgoe (28 April), Rob Brydon (5 May), Jay Rayner (4 May), Sumudu (11 May), Guy Barker (12 May), Issy van Randwyck, Giles Terrera and Alistair McGowan.
A full schedule and line up of participants will be announced shortly. Please note artists appear subject to availability. More details can be found here.
