Alumna Molly Sweeney (English Literature, 2013) is a London based scriptwriter who writes scripts about what it means to be a good person. She has recently turned this lens to the topic of climate change with her new play Decommissioned which will be held at The Pleasance in London, on 10, 12 – 15 April 2023, with a tour planned for later this year. We recently caught up with her to find out more.
When Molly studied at the University of Exeter, it was on our Penryn Campus in Cornwall and whilst time was spent honing her writing skills, enjoying pasties and being chased by cows, it also provided a space for her to learn about the importance of place and the environment on how we perceive the world. This is something she believes is integral to consider when we plan for a future living in the climate crisis and is touched upon in her latest play.
Decommissioned is inspired by the true story of Fairbourne in Wales one of the first places in the UK to be told that the sea level rise will lead to ‘managed retreat’ – their homes may not be saved. It follows climate policy PhD student Gwen who returns to the village she grew up in with a secret that will change the lives of everyone who lives there. She reconnects with her ex-boyfriend Elis and they both grapple with how to communicate about the climate crisis with the younger generation. The play explores the real-world impacts of decommissioning – of leaving a settled coastline to the mercy of the seas.
When reflecting on how Molly came to write the play she says “I read a very interesting and compelling article in the Guardian by Tom Wall about Fairbourne which spiked my interested in 2019. I spent a long time (a very long time, there was a whole pandemic) working how to tell a story that was specific and rooted, compelling and exciting, romantic and funny. My story is not ‘the story of Fairbourne’ – it’s a story about what happens when you know things are only going to get worse, how do you carry on, fall in love and care for the next generation?”
The play features fellow Exeter alumna Marina Johnson (Drama, 2017) as the main character Gwen and has been part of it from the very beginning, performing at a scratch night run by Yellow Coat Theatre in March 2020. This character of Gwen in the play wants to tell the unvarnished truth – in the next 30 years the village they grew up in will be gone – and the character of Elis, who teaches a class of noisy ten-year-olds wants to them to become ‘ethical, informed citizens’. One of these children (staged not cast) is Jackson who sees climate change as something real and frightening and embodies a lot of the climate anxiety we’re seeing in younger generations who are aware of the impact of climate change and urgency to tackle it.
Gwen’s character also explores the difficulty of how to feel like you’re making a difference in the face of climate change and the struggle to be a ‘good person’. She feels weighted by the stress of living in a terrible world and turns in on herself. Molly mentions this duality and struggle is something she identifies with by going between thinking that she’s much too hard on herself or that much too soft on herself – sometimes in the same hour. Pondering questions such as: Am I good person because I try to recycle, give to others and attempt to be compassionate? Or should I think about the long list of failings I have: wasted food, unnecessary flights, unkind words?
The play touches upon how through connecting with others this weight and stress can be lessened and aims to inspire people to reach out to their communities to face problems together. We spoke to Molly about this and how she feels we can stay hopeful in the face of climate change and climate anxiety whilst her way of exploring this is in essence this play, she says: “Research suggests that connecting with others is one of the most powerful ways to cope with climate anxiety and stay hopeful. Joining a group, volunteering and creating together can be really effective ways of feeling less alone and helping you make changes without feeling like everything is on top of you.”
When we spoke about what she would like audiences to take away from viewing Decommissioned Molly says: “I think that sometimes it feels tempting to give up, turn away and focus on all the other problems. Often we take comfort on how committed young activists and decide that the younger generation will sort it out. I hope that the play pushes people to remember what we owe children growing up now and those in the future. I also want people to take away that it was funny and entertaining and romantic – and that even in dark times life is funny and entertaining and romantic.”
Decommissioned will be held at the Pleasance, London on 10, 12 – 15 April 2023 and can find out more about the play and secure tickets online. Public funding from Arts Council England was received and used for an R&D to explore the play and prepare it for touring. You can also find out more about Molly’s other work via her website.
