“A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction”- New Vic Theatre

Written by Miranda Rose Hall – Directed by Eleanor Taylor

The ~New Vic Theatre and Headlong Theatre Company

Photographs courtesy of Andrew Billigton

“A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction” is the latest offering at The New Vic Theatre.  Something very different and unique, telling a story that needs to be heard by everyone.

The play is an ecological experiment, written by Miranda Rose Hall but produced and cast locally in every Theatre it visits.  Here at the New Vic, Eleanor Taylor is the Director and the main character, Naomi, is played by Danielle Henry.

It is described as a ‘one-woman show’ and Danielle commanded everyone’s attention, giving an exceptionally strong performance.  The addition of 4 members of Newcastle Triathlon Club added interest to the set as well as providing the power for the whole performance.

The complete show lasted around an hour and a quarter, with no interval, but everything which needed to be said, was said.  Climate change, extinction, death – all uncomfortable, deeply upsetting subjects for most people. We all know that a lot of wildlife is in danger, large mammals, hedgehogs (we talk about this regularly on air and support the local hedgehog rescue) but what was most upsetting was that names and pictures of beautiful creatures who are now extinct were shared, and we had no idea that most of them even existed in the first place.  Surely, the extinction of a species is newsworthy?

The delivery of this production was excellent – the word-perfect Danielle Henry delivering this complex message with passion and eloquence, the dimmed lighting, the low rumbling formidable sound underneath the monologue adding drama –  all worked so well together and I for one was transfixed.

I hope that this play succeeds in every way – the message is necessary, thought provoking and heartbreaking.  It is at the New Vic for just a week.  The message, in this format, needs to be taken forward and shared with schools, colleges, local groups …. Everyone!

You can see this play at the New Vic until Saturday – not long – you will find more information and to book tickets below

 https://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/productions/a-play-for-the-living-in-a-time-of-extinction/

Last week ~Jane chatted to Director Eleanor Taylor ad Michael Howard from Newcastle Tri Club – you can listen to what they had to say about this production below