Stage Door News

London, UK: “Sea Sick” by Alanna Mitchell to run at the National Theatre April 22-May 7, 2020

Friday, November 15, 2019

We are very excited to announce that our Edinburgh hit Sea Sick, will receive its London UK premiere at The National Theatre (running April 22 – May 7, 2020). Written and Performed by award-winning science journalist Alanna Mitchell, and directed by Franco Boni and Ravi Jain, Sea Sick is a deeply personal solo performance about the state of the global ocean, inspired by Mitchell’s book of the same name.

“I’ll be fascinated to see what conversations Sea Sick sets off during its run at the National Theatre,” commented writer and performer, Alanna Mitchell. “I think we have the chance, right now, to make a difference in the fate of the planet. And I hope this play, in this place, at this time, will feed into the decisions we have to make.”

Since premiering at The Theatre Centre in 2014 when we first opened the doors to our brand new home, the production has toured extensively throughout Ontario and Canada, and around the world including Luxembourg, Mumbai, Darwin, Sydney, and most recently, Edinburgh. After a hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe, as part of the CanadaHub series, the National Theatre will program Sea Sick for a three-week run.

Alanna Mitchell’s remarkable one-woman show about the state of the ocean, Sea Sick, opens at the National Theatre this April. Following its sell-out run in Edinburgh earlier this year the production tells the story of the science behind our seas and could not be more important as we all look to find ways to tackle the climate emergency.” ~ Rufus Norris, Artistic Director, The National Theatre.

The National Theatre declared a climate emergency earlier this fall. As part of this declaration, and their commitment to telling resonant stories to galvanise positive change, the National Theatre has said that climate and ecological concerns will be reflected prominently in their future programming.

“This is an amazing opportunity,” commented Aislinn Rose, The Theatre Centre’s Artistic Director. “In 2014, Sea Sick was an incredibly important show, and five years later, with the climate crisis finally becoming more of a mainstream conversation, the show feels vital. Being part of the climate initiative at The National Theatre is incredible, not just for the show, but because it places the work at the centre of a larger, international conversation.

“It’s also important to note that we take our own carbon footprint seriously. While we believe the impact that Alanna is having on live audiences is crucial to sharing the message of this piece, we are working to decrease our own impact on the environment.”

As Sea Sick travels around the world, The Theatre Centre has been working with The Ocean Foundation, and their SeaGrass Grow project, which allows individuals and corporations to calculate the carbon footprint of their travel. The project then plants seagrass, restoring natural ecosystems that take up large amounts of carbon, while providing habitats and crucial food sources to a wide variety of underwater species. The Theatre Centre has begun building carbon offsetting into each touring budget.

Over the last number of years, The Theatre Centre has been putting more of our resources toward supporting artists moving their work beyond a first production. Internationally, we’ve seen a significant interest in the work coming out of the company. Specifically, we’ve had a lot of success over the last two years in Edinburgh with the support of the CanadaHub initiative, with two of the most talked about shows at the 2018 and 2019 festivals, Daughter by Adam Lazarus, and Sea Sick by Alanna Mitchell respectively.

“CanadaHub is an incredible resource for Canadian artists to have their work seen within an international context” commented Rose. “Since 2017 many of these shows have garnered rave reviews, won numerous awards, and have secured successful international tours; we are proud to be part of this initiative and to be contributing to its reputation as a place to find great work by exceptional Canadian artists.”

Credits 
Director: Franco Boni 
Co-director: Ravi Jain 
Set and Costume Designer: Shawn Kerwin 
Sound Designer: Tim Lindsay 
Writer and Performer: Alanna Mitchell 
Lighting Designer: Rebecca Picherack 
Stage Manager and Touring Lighting Designer: Melissa Joakim

For tickets, visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photo: Alanna Mitchell.  © 2014 Chloë Ellingson.