A Play For The Living In A Time Of Extinction is powerful, engaging, haunting, and ultimately, filled with gratitude for nature’s delicate power. It examines humanity’s connection and responsibility to the environment with humour, intelligence, and a passion that bares not only the soul of the protagonist, but also that of the audience.
Naomi (Warona Setshwaelo) is a dramaturg who speaks to the audience about a play her company had been performing and developing for years. Her play is about the how the universe began, leading to life on Earth, and the past and present mass extinctions. Naomi explains to the audience how and why the play was written and its inevitable expansion of themes. She is alone onstage, but in breaking the fourth wall she invites the audience members to participate in her discussion about the meaning of the environment in our lives.
While Naomi uses extensive scientific research to tell the story, the show is not a lecture. It is an emotional plea to recognize how we as species do not understand or respect our limits within our own environment. Death and extinction are natural cycles on this planet. But the current mass extinction is of our doing, especially at the speed it is happening. Naomi uses clear and relatable stories to demonstrate how we are profoundly connected to the environment. With the audience, Naomi reveals our symbiotic relationship with nature. We are all linked together in many ways regardless of our personal histories.
Ms. Setshwaelo is marvelous. She gives warmth and urgency to a difficult story. She has a terrific rhythm which keeps the audience in rapt attention. Audience members feel free to open up and talk to her. A one-person one-act show can be tricky but Ms. Setshwaelo masters it.
It is easy to get caught up in our personal bubbles. We all need reminders that we are not completely disconnected from the Earth and from the rest of humanity. We need both more than ever to survive. Love and respect can be a good place to start.
Photo Credit: Andrée Lanthier
A Play For The Living In A Time Of Extinction. Written by Miranda Rose Hall. Directed by Rose Plotek. Show continues to May 15, at the Centaur Theatre, 453 St-François-Xavier, Old Montreal. For tickets call the box office at 514-288-3161 or go to www.centaurtheatre.com For COVID protocols, please click here https://centaurtheatre.com/2021/08/27/covid-protocols/
