Ripple Effect Theatre Artists’ mission is to get the audience members who come see their show to take action. This one man show is written by Duncan MacMillan and Chris Rapley and talks about the disastrous effects our dependence on fossil fuels is to the planet. It is filled with facts and does bring on concerns for the future.
This is a “documentary” for the stage. It can be overwhelming and some may find it difficult to understand due to all the scientific terms. Director Carin Zakes did a good job in making it easier to understand. Chris Rapley (portrayed by Robert Meksin) stood at his podium for the majority of the hour long play. Behind him were screens portraying pictures and videos of the events he mentioned.
Rapley is an actual scientist who has spent his career studying Antarctica. As climate change began affecting the Antarctic, he began to study climate change and its effects. He is concerned for the world and what will be left of it for his grandchildren. At the rate we’re going, there won’t be much left for future generations.
Climate change can be used in an emotionally manipulative manner by some people, but in this show
everything is dealt and backed up with facts. Rapley started by showing the audience the planet and how it looked only a few years ago. He continued by presenting the audience what was occurring at the time this play was published (2014) including glaciers breaking off and melting causing sea levels to rise and thus messing up the delicate balance needed to keep the planet’s temperatures from rising.
Rapley gave us the facts. He also translated these facts into layman terms. Some of the information is slightly outdated, but this is nothing to celebrate. An update at the end of the show let the audience know that in the five years since the play premiered, things have only gotten worse.
As Rapley is British, he stated that the world can only increase 2C in overall temperature. Any more than that and things will only get progressively worse.
It is hard to hear these facts especially since we are close to reaching that temperature threshold and few people seem to care. Still Rapley is hopeful that people will begin to collectively make changes that will ultimately help the planet.
He did offer solutions. The biggest one was being more energy efficient by relying more on wind and solar power. Many countries are already making the switch, while others are stubbornly refusing to do so.
It is a lot to take in, but unfortunately the majority of people who would want to see this show are those who are already trying to do their part in lowering their carbon footprint. Meksin did a fantastic job as Rapley especially in conveying all the facts in an engaging manner. Still, the people who deny
climate change or are apathetic to it, probably won’t get their minds changed.
I’m hoping I’m wrong obviously. This is an important piece of theatre and sometimes the arts speak to people in a way that other subjects can’t. I seriously hope this inspired someone to give a damn. It was hard for me not to make any personal statements in this review because I care about this subject so much, but I will finish by saying at least read this play and make as educated a decision from there.
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