TLast year, “Just Stop Oil” protesters disrupted a performance of “Les Misérables.” They thought a musical about rebellion would be a fitting platform to protest against impending climate change. To Save the Sea is also a musical about resistance, but there is no cause for skirmishes. In and of itself, it is a great solution to the environmental problem.
Sleeping Warrior, written and directed by Ira Cowan and Andy McGregor, is a sweeping tribute to Greenpeace's 1995 takeover of the Brent Spar oil depot. It is. In today's pessimistic times, this action is a bellwether for climate change activism. Despite being very unstable and close to defeat, it brought about change.
After Brent Spar had served its purpose, Shell intended to dump its toxic remains into the North Sea. Prime Minister John Major was also an ally. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl did not. Greenpeace's occupation captured the imagination of consumers. Although Shell had the wherewithal to remove the protesters, it did not have the resources to deal with the boycott. The people won.
Cowan and McGregor look at the potential for this David and Goliath conflict with drama on the high seas and bring eight powerful companies on board for their ambitious show. While activists belt out fiery musical theater anthems with titles like “One Foot in Front of Another” and “Bring It On,” protesters swap songs from comic book shows to portray their roles as villains in the production. It would be better to send . The songs are clear and catchy, lending emotional weight to the activist efforts as well as a sense of crisis, not to mention biting satire.
It's great to see the shows get bigger and have live bands. But as it stands, it's an exciting ensemble piece. Staged on a sturdy gantry designed by Claire Halleran and dramatically lit by Simon Wilkinson, this production has heart, humor and political flair.
