a practical guide on how to save the world when no one f***ing else is by Nicole Latchana - ★★★☆☆
Tara Theatre is a small but mighty theatre covered in charm and nuzzled away in South West London. They have their roots in political activism and have over forty years experience in enriching and encouraging Asian creatives, which makes showcasing a practical guide on how to save the world when no one f***ing else is directed by Gavin Joseph all the more poignant, with a global majority cast consisting of Adil Rehman, Gurjot Dhaliwal, Martha Wrench, Stephan Hunte-Wilson, Tinuola Ibrahim, Usmaan Khan and Zain Ahmad. The script is written by Nicole Latchana, and covers a myriad of topics and concerns that compliment and critique everything from climate activism practises, to the complexity and weight of individual and collective responsibility.
The staging is simple, with four plastic chairs scattered across the stage mimicking a community centre hall, and a large, bright red cube suspended high in the air. By the end of the performance the cube has lowered, heightening the cast’s sense of urgency, the thin line between activism and ecoterrorism, and the devastating reality for communities who are heavily plagued with grief, sickness, and displacement due to the environmental damage worsened by big corporations.
The first scene lays the framework for the rest of the play as two of the climate action group attendees Noor (Zain Ahmad) and Kemi (Tinuola Ibrahim) simultaneously prep the space and worry about attendance, with a primary concern about their leader Jeff’s whereabouts. Worry seems to be a core anchor of the play, whether it’s worrying about directing their passion and anger locally or globally, worrying about their diets not being sustainably optimal, worrying about their occasional fast-fashion purchases, worrying about affording rent, and the uncertainty about the future of their romantic relationships.
A strong subplot revolves around two brothers, the younger, impulsive and entitled climate activist Mikel (Usmaan Khan), and his older, more stoic and responsible, corporate older brother Ayman (Adil Rehman). There are many stark differences between the two, and they strike a realistically strong balance of annoyance and familial love. Their dynamic acts as a microcosm for many of the ongoing discussions that happen in the green-leaning and more economically right-wing spaces, such as is it ethical or acceptable to ever work at a company that is known to be causing harm to certain demographics and locations, if it provides you with a sense of social mobility, particularly if you come from an immigrant, working-class background?
The most memorable character, Gagan (Gurjot Dhaliwal), happens to stumble upon the climate action group by mistake, but grows and develops into the group through her understanding of natural disasters and their personal impact. Her unsuspecting, slightly awkward and shy persona made the gateway to her dry humour ten times funnier, and her ability to command an eruption of laughter though her comic relief at the most unexpected moments felt like second nature. It’s only as the play develops that the audience realise her humour and other habits are escapist coping mechanisms acting as a cloak for her trauma of repeatedly watching disturbing footage of a natural disaster that wiped her family away. In this moment, we all felt the heaviness of how injustices and climate atrocities abroad impact and inform activism in our own country of residence. The lead up to this moment is the catalyst that galvanizes the group into petitioning to save a local space, the future of the community centre that houses a food bank, and think about next steps in their bid to leave a mark on the climate activist scene.
In conclusion, a practical guide on how to save the world when no one f***ing else is exceeded my expectations and went far beyond what could have very easily become an overly preachy, and cringeworthy piece. Latchana’s writing didn’t leave the audience in a state of existential dread, but made us realise how change starts from individuals making small actions that can grow and unify. Mikel (Usmaan Khan) felt like a lazy, Gen Z trope at times, but it was helpful to see a range of characters and opinions throughout. a practical guide… acted as a refreshing reminder to step away from activism burnout, and reject the nagging thought that we’re never doing enough. It’s hard to believe that it was a play written in four weeks when you think about the breadth of discussion points mentioned, from climate catastrophes, to the importance of community. I hope it can go on to have a longer run in the future so more people can experience this powerful piece.
★★★☆☆
By Nadia Mantock
