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SEYMOUR CENTRE PRESENTS
By Duncan Macmillan
and Chris Rapley
PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION
WITH AUSTRALIAN THEATRE
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
A NOTE FROM CO-WRITER PROFESSOR CHRIS RAPLEY
What is happening to our climate? What do we know and how do we know it? How will it affect each and
every one of us?
2071 addresses an issue which will shape the future of mankind. It presents what science can tell us about
our climate, the risks posed by the changes already under way, and the options that lie before us.
The Earth is a hugely complex system, and our knowledge of it contains many gaps. But we know enough to see
that we need to act. A highly emotive and immensely challenging issue, climate change can only be addressed
effectively by all of humanity joining together - through the “The Greatest Collective Action in History”.
The collaboration between myself, playwright Duncan Macmillan and Director Katie Mitchell (Royal Court’s
production 2014), sought to let the facts speak for themselves. The aim was to offer my personal perspective as if in a chat in my living room. My eldest grand-daughter will be my age in 2071. What will be our legacy
to her and to the generations to come. What kind of a future do we want to create?
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR TIM JONES
At the heart of Seymour’s production of 2071 are two central questions: Is human-induced climate change
real, and, more broadly, can performance contribute meaningfully to the discussion of significant issues of
our time and inspire social change?
Chris Rapley, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, investigates the first question, through his
detailed and personal account of the science and history of climate change.
My answer to the second question is that yes, the arts play an important role in understanding and
revealing the complexities of the challenges that affect the modern world. This belief drives our Great
Ideas Series, where the Seymour produces artful “provocations”, responding to big issues as a kind of
community catalyst for discussion, inspired by thoughtful and rigorous theatre-making.
This production of 2071 deliberately works on multiple levels at the same time: visually, aurally and
through the presence of a “chorus” of young actors. These elements combine to explore the science and
to articulate the potential human impacts of climate change. In the end, this is what theatre does best: it
provides a unique opportunity for audiences to gather and empathise with the human dimensions of the
subject - for both the head and the heart to be stirred.
CO-WRITER - PROFESSOR CHRIS RAPLEY CBE, M.A., PH.D., D.SC.
Professor Chris Rapley CBE is Professor of Climate Science at University College London. He is a Fellow
of St Edmund’s College Cambridge, a member of the Academia Europaea, a Distinguished Visiting
Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Chairman of the London Climate Change Partnership.
His previous posts include Director of the Science Museum London, Director of the British Antarctic
Survey, President of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Executive Director of the International
Geosphere-Biosphere Program, and Head of UCL’s Earth Observation satellite group. He is Chair of the
UCL Commission on Communicating Climate Science. Prof Rapley was awarded the 2008 Edinburgh
Science Medal for having made “a significant contribution to the understanding and wellbeing of humanity”.
CO-WRITER - DUNCAN MACMILLAN
Duncan Macmillan’s theatre credits include: 1984, adapt. George Orwell (2013-17 - Headlong/Almeida/
West End/Broadway/international tour, co-adapted/co-directed with Rob Icke); People, Places and
Things (2015-17 - National Theatre/Wyndham’s Theatre, West End); Every Brilliant Thing (201317 - Paines Plough/Pentabus Theatre/Edinburgh Festival/international tours/HBO); City Of Glass,
adapt. Paul Auster (2017 - 59 Productions, HOME and Lyric Hammersmith), 2071, co-written with
Chris Rapley (2014-15 - Royal Court Theatre/Hamburg Schauspielhaus); The Forbidden Zone (201416 - Salzburg Festival and Schaubühne, Berlin); Wunschloses Unglück, adapt. Peter Handke (2014
- Burgtheater Vienna); Reise Durch die Nacht, adapt. Friederike Mayröcker (2012-14 - Schauspielhaus
Köln, Festival d’Avignon, Teatertreffen); Lungs (2011-16 Paines Plough and Sheffield Theatres/Studio
Theatre, Washington DC), and Monster (2006 - Royal Exchange).
DIRECTOR - TIM JONES
Tim has been the Artistic Director and General Manager of the Seymour Centre since 2009. Since arriving
he has established a new artistic direction; engaging more with the University of Sydney, developing
partnerships with major festivals including VIVID, and activating new initiatives. In 2015 he launched the
Great Ideas Performance Series, which showcases outstanding new theatre works that investigate major
challenges of our time.
As a director he has created new work for the Seymour Centre including Transparency by Suzie Miller and
two versions of the verbatim theatre work, The Hansard Monologues. Prior to his role at the Seymour
Centre, Tim was the CEO/Artistic Director of the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), where he
directed 13 major productions in venues ranging from ATYP’s studio theatre to the Sydney Opera House.
MEDIA ARTWORK - JOE CROSSLEY
Joseph Crossley is a new media artist, creative director/producer and environmental architect. He has
ideas, inventions and concepts on which he works with partners and collaborators to realise.
Many of his works have been in highly public surroundings such as Sydney Opera House, as part of VIVID,
with the intention of delivering an experience, a memory, or even just a place to enjoy for a while. He has
worked around the world for a variety of clients from luxury brands to computer chip manufacturers, light
festivals to world leading advertising agencies.
COMPOSER AND SOUND DESIGNER - ANDRÉE GREENWELL
Andrée Greenwell works diversely across mainstream and experimental platforms within the Australian
performing arts, screen arts and radio. Her catalogue of nearly 100 scores includes credits for Australia’s
leading performing arts organisations; Sydney Theatre Company, Symphony Australia, Australian Dance
Theatre, Bell Shakespeare, Belvoir and Queensland Music Festival. Awards and achievements: Honorary
Post-Doctoral Fellow, UoW, 2015; Green Room Award “Best Score” for Venus and Adonis, 2008 (Bell
Shakespeare/Malthouse); Best Post-Graduate Composition, Fellowship of Australian Composers, 2006;
NSW Women in Arts Fellowship 2003; AETT traveling scholar 2002; Artist residence, Chateau de La
Napoule, France, 2002.
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR - PATRICIA WOOD
Patricia is a dancer and choreographer based in Sydney. She recently completed a Masters at Macquarie
University, in response to the Body as Archive. Patricia has received support through the Australia Council
of the Arts and residencies from Critical Path, Frontyard and Ausdance. As a performer, Patricia has worked
with dance companies and independent artists performing in Australia and internationally, including Stan’s
Café (UK), Mette Edvardsen (NOR/BE), Ros Crisp (FR/AU), Nick Cave (US), Victoria Hunt, Ivey Wawn and
Dean Walsh, amongst others. Patricia’s writing has been published in Un Magazine and Critical Dialogues.
She is also a Teaching Artist with Sydney Dance Company.
JOHN GADEN
John Gaden has worked extensively in film, theatre and television for over
fifty years, building a solid reputation as an outstanding actor. Renowned
for his exceptional stage performances, recent highlights include Belvoir’s
The Wild Duck performances in Sydney, Perth, London, Vienna and
Amsterdam, as well as Seventeen, Hamlet, and Cloudstreet (National and
International tours).
John’s most celebrated performances include The Lost Echo and The
Unexpected Man which have won him Helpmann Awards and Travesties,
Kold Komfort Kaffe, and Galileo winning Sydney Critics Circle Awards.
CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL TEAM
DIRECTOR: TIM JONES
COMPOSER AND SOUND DESIGNER: ANDRÉE GREENWELL
ADDITIONAL SOUND DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: DAVID TRUMPMANIS
MEDIA ARTWORK: JOE CROSSLEY (EPSON), HECKLER AND SIXTY FORTY
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR: PATRICIA WOOD
COSTUME DESIGNER: MELANIE LIERTZ
STAGE AND PRODUCTION MANAGER: KARINA MCKENZIE
ATYP CAST
LUCY
BROWNLIE
SASHA
ROSE
ELLERY
JOYCE
MATTHEW
SIMMONS
JACQUELINE
MORRISON
HEATH
JELOVIC
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Seymour Centre would like to thank David Ritter (Greenpeace), Lenore Taylor (The Guardian),
Olivia Kember (The Climate Institute), Amanda McKenzie (The Climate Council), Blair Palese (350.org),
Van Badham, Leah Lui-Chivizhe, Jude Philp, Anthony Gill, Cedric Counard, Baker McKenzie, Sydney
Environment Institute, Epson, Heckler, Sixty Forty, The Greens and Meredith Hall (Sydney Ideas).
2071 by Duncan Macmillan and Professor Chris Rapley was first produced by the Royal Court Theatre in
co-operation with the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg in November 2014.
The Seymour Centre is the Performing Arts Centre of The University of Sydney.
2071 is proudly supported by The Guardian, Vivid Ideas Sydney, The City of Sydney, Catalyst and
Australian Theatre for Young People.
Find out more or get involved - go to climateinsitute.org.au or climatecouncil.org.au