REVIEW: Just Stop Extinction Rebellion by Brad Sutherland at The White Bear 30 January - 10 February 2024

‘This romcom mixes comic elements and climate change activism polemic’ ★★★ ½

Just Stop Extinction Rebellion is a fun jaunt through the ideologies and motivations of climate activism via a splinter group of activists in East Sheen. Millicent Forbes-Frobisher (Louise Bangay) of Barnes (full title used quite a few times) arrives somewhat suspiciously but connects quickly, despite class differences, with Ben (James Price), an early-50s accountant who is struggling with his recent separation from his much younger and rather brusque wife, Petra (Orsolya Nagy). We see a brief interaction between Ben and Petra to understand the nature of their antagonistic relationship and root for Millicent and Ben to get together. Millicent is older than Ben and recently separated from Henry (Stephen Riddle) and trying to find a way to make a difference in the world (third on her bucket list). It is nice to see a potential love story between an older couple, especially where the female is the older one, a point of contention at moments in the play. Bangay is a very strong lead and lends a lot of believability to the show.

Riddle demonstrates great range as he also plays George, a bumbling sort of man who is trying to lead this eclectic group of passionate activists, and he himself has an urgency that seems to lack in those he leads in this group. He switches to the smaller role of a heckler to the activist group, which is where much of the voice of non-activists comes through, asking tough questions like whether stopping traffic is helpful when an ambulance wants to get through. Gaia (Orsolya Nagy again) is a Mother Earth-praying, rainbow-haired young lady who adds much of the humour to the piece with her wide-eyed facial expressions. There is much comical fun to be observed in the midst of the tough decisions the activists have to make, from watching the older, portly Mrs. Warboys (Hilary Field) getting up and down from the ground for the group sessions and Gaia leading the group to pray for support, to the outlandish choices the characters make, like egging the cars of the people who had slighted Milicent.

Versatile staging, mainly made of folding chairs and the occasional placement of a cloth or yoga mat, moves us around to different situations from inside a hall to picketing on the streets of London. The sound design is done beautifully to give the scenes a sense of place, from ducks quacking to people enjoying a drink together. Audio recordings from actual activists are interspersed with the comedy and romance. It is slightly jarring at moments to move from one to the next but serves to remind us of the gravity of the situation we're discussing.

In the programme, the writer (Brad Sutherland) makes it clear that the story could have taken place with any group (e.g. a choir, art class, or chess club) and not just climate activists, which makes one wonder why this choice then. Sutherland also claims to be trying to create a balanced play, neither condoning nor criticizing climate activism but giving an understanding of both perspectives. For that reason, this is definitely a marmite type of play. The colourful characters and humour draw in the viewer, but those who came with the hope that it would speak to the issues of climate change, or at least address the questions of how to best proceed with activism would be disappointed. The ones who despise extreme activism may not want to hear the arguments made for these actions. Perhaps it is an unwinnable proposition.

This romcom mixes comic elements and climate change activism polemic (for both sides). A portmanteau is a word that is a combination of two words, like smog (smoke and fog). Just Stop Extinction Rebellion feels like a portmanteau not just in title, but in style, combining the devastating impact of climate change and the passion of activists with a mature romantic comedy. Ironically, handed a sheet that takes the step of asking us to “please recycle this programme.” I felt that in light of the climate crisis, it should rather have prompted us to “get with the programme”.

JUST STOP EXTINCTION REBELLION by Brad Sutherland at The White Bear 30 January - 10 February 2024

Written by Brad Sutherland

Performed by Louise Bangay, James Price, Orsolya Nagy, Stephen Riddle, Hilary Field

Directed by Kenneth Michaels

Produced by Maiden Productions

Design: Samantha Parry

Reviewed by Mariam Mathew