Jessica Norman
I’m a playwright and screenwriter and the writer of This Little Earth (“A small piece of magic… spectacular… an astonishing new play“, West End Best Friend; “Had me uncontrollably laughing throughout“, The Spy in the Stalls, “Norman is one to watch”, The Guardian), playing at Arcola Theatre in London until 15 November. It is the story of Honey and Christopher, two Flat-Earthers, who journey to Antarctica to find the edge of the world and it explores the post-truth landscape we are currently living in.
We’re running a Climate Café® alongside the production on Thursday 13 November from 5.45pm in the Arcola Theatre Bar, which is free to attend with a ticket to the show.
You might think that a play about Flat-Earthers isn’t the most obvious pairing for a Climate Café®. Conspiracy theories are, of course, on the rise, with Flat-Earth the most popular conspiracy belief amongst British 11-18 year olds and climate conspiracies following closely behind (Pears Foundation Countering Online Conspiracy in Schools Study, 2024).
I think this is why I’ve always wanted to run a Climate Café® alongside it – to create an open, welcoming space for people to come together and talk about the climate crisis, share ideas and explore ways to act together. For me, these kinds of grass-roots community events are a crucial way of combatting the disinformation, division and isolation which breed these conspiracy beliefs.
At our Climate Café® you’ll also be able to learn more about Antarctica, via our partnership with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and be transported there via their Immersive Reality experience.
Antarctica is the most extraordinary place and at the front line of the climate crisis. I created and produce a podcast for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, A Voyage to Antarctica, which is available across all major platforms. This work has given me the opportunity to speak to a whole host of experts, from climate scientists to explorers and historians – people who have dedicated their lives to Antarctica, to try and better understand our planet and the man-made changes happening in our climate.
What’s surprised me is how these conversations have inspired me and made me so much more hopeful about the future. What is happening in Antarctica matters to all of us – we just have to pay attention and let ourselves be inspired. This is definitely the ethos of our Climate Café® and my play, This Little Earth. We want audiences to leave feeling the power of shared experiences and communication across political and social divides – and to feel empowered to act and make a difference together.
For more information see https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/thislittleearth/
If you’re interested in attending, you can claim £10 tickets to the show with code TLE10 (valid for the performance on 13 November).