written by Ben Wendel Part of the Camden Fringe 2025 Directed by Emily Hawkins and James Christensen Produced by Ben Wendel and Emily Hawkins Venue: Barons Court Theatre August 2025
Nominated for Five Fringe Theatre Awards - New Writing (Ben Wendel), Lighting (Ben Wendel), Direction (Emily Hawkins and James Christensen), Lead Performance (Rosie Yates), and Outstanding Production.
Nominated for London Pub Theatres Standing Ovation Award - New Writing (Ben Wendel)
***** “Ambitious would be an understatement. A magnificent work of climate positivism that leaves the audience in awe.” - London Pub Theatres
***** “Full of ambition… both an environmental thriller and a moving coming-of-age story. Wendel’s story is riveting… serious without ever being too weighty, its 90 minutes never too long. Theatre at its finest.” - The Reviews Hub
VERY GOOD SHOW “The show’s best dialogue is in its quiet, intimate scenes… naturalistic and full of witty humor. Anthropocene is an intelligent show… with the makings of vital climate-conscious theatre” - FringeReview
“Not only raises the issue of global warming but aspires to something greater.” - Theatre and Tonic
When Diana's mother passes away from cancer, she feels hopeless and without direction. That is, until she discovers her mother's research notebook and becomes convinced she can save the world from the upcoming climate catastrophe. Against her grieving father's wishes and armed with her mother's words and a precocious attitude, Diana sets off to find the eccentric Doctor Johann and finish her mother’s quest. Interwoven with Diana's story, the pages of her mother's notebook spring to life through movement, sound, and images to tell the magical story of the creation of Earth from the Big Bang through Man's discovery of fire. A story of defiance, climate anxiety, and growing up, Anthropocene asks why do we want to save the world? What are we fighting for?
Stage Manager: Lulu Fletcher Composer: Ross Baillie-Eames Sound Design: James Christensen Lighting Design: Ben Wendel Movement Director: Ben Peterson Projection Design: Heather Holme
Cast: Rosie Yates, Patrick Strain, Jasper Price, and Naomi Paxton
