Environment, Economy and Climate Change: Stages in Transition

Location
George Cadbury Hall - Selly Oak Campus
Dates
Monday 4 July (00:00) - Tuesday 5 July 2016 (23:59)
Contact

Dr Vicky Angelaki at v.angelaki@bham.ac.uk

Register online

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Confirmed keynote speakers include:

  • Professor Carl Lavery, University of Glasgow
  • Professor Chris Rapley, UCL
  • Steve Waters, playwright; UEA

We are witnessing a growth in new work in theatre and performance that deals with the current intricate relationship between environment and economy, referred to by some as the Anthropocene; a geological age in which energy and resource consumption habits are creating the conditions for environmental crisis. This in turn has not only led governments around the world to making difficult moral and ethical decisions, but also all of us to consider our responsibilities towards the environment, and the consequences of our individual and collective actions.

Recent written and performance work for the stage that has focused on the economy in relation to diminishing resources and global warming/climate change has included:

Steve Waters, The Contingency Plan (2009, Bush Theatre); Nick Payne, If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet  (2009, Bush Theatre); Richard Bean, The Heretic (2011, Royal Court Theatre); Moira Buffini, Matt Charman, Penelope Skinner and Jack Thorne, Greenland (2011, National Theatre); Filter and David Farr, Water (2007, Lyric Hammersmith; 2011, Tricycle); Duncan Macmillan, Lungs (2011, Studio Theatre, Washington DC); Stephen Emmott and Katie Mitchell, Ten Billion (2012, Royal Court Theatre); Duncan Macmillan, Chris Rapley and Katie Mitchell, 2071 (2014, Royal Court Theatre); Rimini Protokoll, Welt-Klimakonferenz (2014, Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg); Tanya Ronder, F*ck the Polar Bears (2015, Bush Theatre).   

We have also seen an increasing number of visual arts projects responding to warnings of crisis, as well as interdisciplinary scholarship developing around the issue of environment and global economies.

This two-day international conference provides a forum to address the various and manifold artistic developments in the fields of theatre and performance, at a time many consider a crucial historical junction. In addition, the conference aims to bring together academics and practitioners working across different areas of theatre and performance and in related interdisciplinary areas.

Accommodation

There will not be specific conference accommodation, but we would recommend the following.

Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre - This is located a few minutes’ walk from the conference and offers bed and breakfast accommodation.

There is also a comprehensive range of hotels and bed and breakfast venues located around the city. Those situated on the Hagley Road will take you directly to the conference via the 61,62 and 63 bus route.

Sadly, we regret to inform you that the world famous Crossroads Motel is no longer in operation….