Upcoming production Fever Dream tackles climate change with humour and insight
Global warming is no joke. But with folks at the theatre company, Tafreehwale, cooking up a storm with Fever Dream, a new original English play, there is indeed a satirical approach to how we’re viewing this crisis and its solutions. Case in point, the Cool Pods, a new invention that a trio are pitching at a Shark Tank -inspired fictional reality show called Tech Dreams. We speak to director Meghana AT to find out more…
Fever Dream: Plot devices, characters and more in this preview conversation with the director
How did you and co-writer Nayantara Nayar come to a satirical approach to a topic like climate change?
Both Nayantara and I have an interest in climate and both of us have a style that leans towards the lighter side, even when writing about serious material like this. My philosophy is that there’s so much going on in the world that we want to engage with. Anybody who wants to engage with the news is just exhausted and overwhelmed. Therefore, I feel like by bringing in satire, we’re actually making it a bit easier for us to dive deeper into these difficult topics.
And how did you arrive at using a reality show to discuss such topics?
We actually wrote a couple of versions of it. In the original version, an idea I got during a metro ride, involved a room, where, because it’s so hot, people could just go inside it to cool off, because it has air conditioning. The idea was to make a commentary on how climate solutions are being treated. Also, I have another interactive show on climate as well, which is specifically about the rising sea levels and the threat to Mumbai from it. After many performances of that, I noticed a trend where a lot of people either believe in climate change or they dream that the solution to this is going to be something quick and easy, like buying an e-vehicle. So the setting of a reality show allowed us to put some of those facts and figures in there.
How would you describe the main characters of Fever Dream?
There’s Viren, a serial entrepreneur, that one start-up guy we all know. Then we have Shree, a businesswoman who runs a factory. She represents those who have supposedly boring jobs. But manufacturing is vital. It’s what we run on and she’s not as interested in freshness or newness. She’s interested in doing something of value and she thinks that maybe, like with this invention (Cool Pods), she can actually bring some good into the world. The third is Deepak. Deepak has been brought on as their assistant. He is a gig worker and aspires to be an actor. The people who are at most risk as temperatures rise are people like Deepak — gig workers, construction workers, vegetable vendors and rickshaw drivers.
Cool Pods versus a giant global sunscreen shield, which would be a more viral product?
A giant global sunscreen shield, because then I don’t have to put sunscreen every morning. I’m very lazy.
A final takeaway you’d want viewers to have after watching the play?
The climate crisis is not a future issue and it’s not somebody else’s issue. We are dealing with it right now and all of us have to be involved collectively.
`400. October 17, 7 pm onwards. At Bengaluru International Centre, Domlur. October 18, 6.30 pm onwards. At Courtyard Koota, Kengeri.
