A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction to make UK premiere with sustainable production

Miranda Rose Hall’s A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction is to make its UK premiere with a landmark sustainable production.

Headlong and the Barbican are teaming up to present the piece, which will play in London and tour the UK without people or materials physically travelling.

Further, the performance will be powered by bicycles peddled in real time throughout the duration of the show.

Katie Mitchell directs the show which opens in London at the Barbican (26-29 April 2023) before visiting Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Live Theatre Newcastle, New Vic Newcastle-under-Lyme, and York Theatre Royal.

At each venue, local teams of theatre makers will mount the play following sustainability guidelines created by Mitchell.

The UK premiere will be designed by Moi Tran with further creatives and casting to be announced.

“The difference between death and extinction is this: death is to cease to exist. Extinction is to extinguish. I think of death as individual. Extinction is collective.”

Naomi is part of a touring theatre company and they have made a play especially for you – those who are living through extinction – except the actors haven’t shown up yet. We don’t know why, and maybe they will, but in the meantime, Naomi has a plan. Miranda Hall’s darkly funny and uplifting play explores what it means to be human in an era of man-made extinction.

Katie Mitchell said: “It’s exciting to be working with Headlong on this production to roll out a radical international touring model across the UK. It’s crucial that we develop new ways of making and touring theatre in response to the existential crisis we are all facing. I’m also thrilled to be working with Moi Tran for the first time.”

For more information and tickets, visit headlong.co.uk