The Beautiful Future is Coming at Bristol Old Vic Review
The Beautiful Future is Coming production image. Photo by Ellie Kurttz.
Written by Bryony for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Contains themes of grief, climate anxiety and birth anxiety; and descriptions of extreme weather events, drowning, burning and suicide. Contains strong language and strobe lighting.
This could be one of the most important pieces of theatre you ever go and see. Flora Wilson Brown’s The Beautiful Future is Coming uses humour and hope to tackle the big subject of climate change. With this topic, it’s often too scary to think about what could be, so we understand just enough to protect ourselves. This play makes us confront those fears and brings to life the very real threats that future generations will face, in a way that’s relatable and digestible for all.
The story is told through the perspective of three couples, each at different moments in time spanning 250 years. We’re first introduced to Eunice and John in 1850s New York, where Eunice is researching CO2. Next, we meet Claire and Dan in present-day London, who are colleagues working on a pitch together and in the early stages of their relationship. Our final couple is Ana and Malcolm who are in 2100 harvesting seeds in a vault while an 86-day storm rages outside. Ana’s pregnancy adds an extra layer of complication to an already nerve-wracking scenario, leaving us wondering how their story will play out and what the future has in store.
At times, jumping between the timelines was slightly confusing as the years weren’t specifically defined, however, we could assume certain things from the clothing worn or the noises used to support the scene. Aldo Vázquez’s set was simple, but the clever use of screens helped to split scenes up and allow different timeframes to play out simultaneously. Upon reflection, I wonder if it was intentional to show the parallels over time and make the audience think about the fact that despite time moving on, not much has changed, and our characters are met with similar challenges. The props were minimal but used effectively where needed – my only gripe being sometimes they got in the way of the actors’ faces, but this will depend on where you’re sitting and the view you have.
Although we had three couples, the stories were female-led, which was refreshing to see. Eunice (played by Phoebe Thomas) struggled to be taken seriously as a female in the 1800s (with some of the lines not feeling too dissimilar to what we might hear today, alarmingly) and contemplated having to ask her husband to submit her research under his name just to get it read. Claire (Nina Singh) was navigating a potential relationship with a colleague in a more junior position and finding it difficult to know how to help when tragedy struck. And finally, Ana (Rosie Dwyer) was trying to keep it together as the lead researcher, battling with the fear of bringing a child into the world she lives in and not knowing what the future may hold for her, but having that ingrained yearning to be a mother. Each actor brought so much passion to the role, with some intense scenes for each of them, which occasionally felt a little shouty at times, but overall contributed to the message they were trying to convey.
One of the highlights for me was the chemistry between Nina Singh and Michael Salami, who play Claire and Dan – it was electric from the very beginning. Their relationship may be one of the most believable portrayals I’ve ever seen in the theatre.
This is a thought provoking, emotive and moving story that serves as an important reminder that despite our fears for the future, there are still beautiful moments to take from every day and the human connections we forge are a big part of what will get us through those darker times.
At Bristol Old Vic until 7 June
★★★★
