The climate is changing.

Are we?

Ice sinks into the ocean. Forests burn. Cities flood. The predictions get worse and worse. The amount of carbon in the atmosphere gets larger and larger.

Protestors take to the streets. Conferences meet. Inventors create. Some things get better. Some things change.

People change too. All the time. For better or worse. Everything can change. Will Change. Is Changing.

Four brand new plays by Hattie Collins, Natasha Lay, Hugh Malyon and Tom Stockley that tackle the climate emergency head on. Inspired by conversations and communities around the Community Climate Centre in Plymouth and along the Torbay coast.

Down Stage Write CIC is a theatre company growing new plays in Devon and Cornwall. From workshops to performances we run events across the region. To find out more visit: www.downstagewrite.uk

COAST TO COAST is part of the delivery programme for the Interreg-funded C-Care Project and Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone programme.

Supported by Literature Works Seed Bed Fund.

Supported by Doorstep Arts.

MEMORIAL by Hattie Collins

SOPHIE - Samantha Tossu

FRAN - Grace Adenubi

RESOURCES by Hugh Malyon

KIERAN - Sam Hunter

DAVE - James Murphy Stevens

VEGGIE BURGER by Tom Stockley

NIKKI - Samantha Tossu

MICHAEL ‘NUGS’ - Sam Hunter

COVENANT by Natasha Anthea Lay

EMAK - Grace Adenubi

ANAK - Samantha Tossu

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Director - Jon Nash

Assistant Director - Dylan Harvey

Produced by - Sam Parker and Jon Nash

With thanks to: Matilde, Ash and Lucas from Community Climate Centre, Doorstep Arts, Plymouth Culture, Literature Works, Helen Chaloner, Heather Holcroft-Pinn, Artizan Gallery, Jacob Brandon, Lindsay Endean, Melanie Le Bans, Plymouth Conservatoire and Matt Dean

hattie collins

Hattie is a Devon based playwright and theatre maker. In 2018, her play ‘Fissure’ was selected as a top pick of the From Devon With Love festival at the Bike Shed Theatre. She went on to direct and produce ‘Fissure’ at the Exeter Phoenix, and the Plymouth Fringe Festival, receiving four-star reviews. From 2019 to 2021 she was part of the Eggbox writer’s group at Theatre Royal Plymouth. In 2021 she was awarded a DYCP grant from ACE, centred around verbatim theatre and in 2022 she enjoyed being part of the Exeter Northcott's Futures Programme. Currently, she is further developing her new play 'Kindle', a piece centred around climate change and rural community. Hattie has been supported by Down Stage Write previously, awarded a lovely writer’s residency with the Causley Trust, and is very much looking forward to this next opportunity

NATASHA ANTHEA LAY

Natasha Anthea Lay is a playwright and screenwriter of Chinese-Indonesian descent, originally from Aotearoa New Zealand and currently based in Devon. Natasha has been shortlisted twice for Playmarket NZ's *Playwrights b4 25* award (for *MANIAC (on the Dancefloor)* and *How To Be A Great White Man).* Her short film *Love is Real!* (dir. Calvin Sang) was part of the official selection of New Zealand International Film Festival 2020. In the UK, she has had her work published as part of Tamasha's *Hear Me Now Vol. 2* collection of audition monologues for actors of colour.

HUGH MALYON

Southwest based disabled artist, interested in connecting & engaging with space & audiences through autobiographical, experimental play & shared narratives; “spanning multi-disciplinary performance/hybrid digital creation, I find meaningful connections & relationships through theory & practice, practically engaging critical thinking & emotion. Utilising commonality & reflection, I disrupt toxic narratives & prejudices of disability & society. My practice speaks louder than words – to listen to more than just words…
Hugh co-wrote & performed ACE-funded You, Me & My voice, touring the work to regional theatres & community spaces. He co-devised digital responses to covid-19 restrictions and Squeeze Box, combining live sound/projection creation & performance – lenses to truly understand the impact of putting the capitalist system before individuals and community. In 2022, Hugh joined Another Route fellowship to expand understanding of shared generosity, community & collaboration across borders; smashing barriers in his wake'

tom stockley

Tom Stockley (AKA T.S. IDIOT) is a self-taught writer, performer and theatre maker with a background in community arts and the DIY punk scene. They make work laced with humour, social conscience and confrontation and have written for stage, screen and radio with BBC Arts, Half Moon Theatre, Exeter Phoenix and Doorstep Arts.

GRACE ADENUBI

Grace is a Plymouth based actor and writer. She studied Acting and graduated at the Plymouth Conservatoire. As an artist she likes to create or participate in work that has a meaningful message. Recent credits include ‘Invisible Other’ (Ruth Mitchell/Theatre Royal Plymouth), ‘Signal Fires’, ‘They Call It A Crisis’ and ‘Alright Petal?’ (Beyond Face)

Samantha tossou

Samantha has worked with Downstage Write across a few projects and has really enjoyed working on Climate/Change. She graduated from the University of Plymouth with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in September 2022. Her recent credits include Jon Welch’s ‘Selection’ and ‘The Bryony Hotel’ by Bee Jarvis. When she isn’t on stage, Samantha can be found working at a law firm or on her Masters in Law.

JAMES MURPHY STEVENS

James is an actor living in the South West, primarily working with new writing in audio, film and on stage. He has performed in 'Brutus of Troy' by William Kemp, 'Fireworks' by Alex Robins and 'Tuesday Morning 9:27am' written by himself and Dino Squara. James has previously worked with Down Stage Write on 'Rocks' by Neil Bebber and 'Playwrights for Hire' at The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter and The House Theatre, Plymouth.

SAM HUNTER

Sam is a 24 year old actor based in Plymouth, originally from Somerset. He graduated from Plymouth Conservatoire in 2019 with an acting degree and have worked with DownStageWrite previously in a few different projects including Playwrights For Hire, A Whatsapp To The Curious and Shields by Kate Ellis. He loves performing in theatre, but also embrace working on the radio and on screen too.

Jon NASH

Jon is a director and playwright based in the South West and the Joint Artistic Director of Down Stage Write. His work champions new writing for theatre and audio in the region. Recent credits include: ‘Roberto Zucco’ (Plymouth Conservatoire/TRP), ‘Shields’ by Kate Ellis (Down Stage Write) and Tuesday Morning 9:27 (TRP Lab Company).
He is currently a New Writing Producer Fellow with Stockroom theatre company.

DYLAN HARVEY

Dylan (he/him), the Assistant Director of CLIMATE/CHANGE. Theatre and the performing arts have always been a huge part of my life for as long as I could speak read and write. I am a second year Director studying at the Plymouth Conservatoire, developing my skills as a theatre-maker, storyteller, and facilitator, with experience working with The Orange Tree Theatre, National Youth Theatre and Young Vic. It has been a joy to work alongside Jon and our brilliant cast to bring these plays to life. Bringing theatre to people's doorsteps is something close to my heart and I am delighted that we can engage people on the state of our climate whilst grounding these issues in human stories.

Sustainable Theatre

Down Stage Write seeks to reduce the impact of our work on the environment and explore ways of working sustainably in the theatre industry.

We’ve been rewriting our environmental policy and planning our productions using The Theatre Green Book and the Indoor Sustainable Events Guide (by Julie’s Bicycle) as well as attending sessions of Transitioning to Sustainable Production across the UK Theatre Sector.

For this show we are using low energy LED lighting, recycled paper and products, minimising our paper use with digital programme etc, borrowing or renting costume and props, newly purchased items will be reused or donated and tickets are booked online to limit waste.

For more resources on sustainable events and performances:

www.theatregreenbook.com

https://juliesbicycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Sustainable-Events-Guide_Indoor.pdf

https://pec.ac.uk/blog/how-theatre-can-contribute-to-the-uks-net-zero-targets

Twitter: @GreenUKTheatre

Coast To Coast

COAST TO COAST is a project inspiring writers in Devon and Cornwall to respond to the climate emergency through performance. As the world moves towards the COP 27 Climate Change Conference in Egypt, theatre company Down Stage Write will be inviting professional and community writers to respond by taking part in workshops, sharings and performances in October and November.

Micro plays about the Climate Crisis will be displayed gallery style at the Community Climate Centre and Artizan Gallery (and online)

If you’d like to share your own one page play on the theme of Climate Change you can email to info@downstagewrite.uk and you’ll be added to the gallery!