Environmental sustainability has always been something that Theatre Alibi has cared deeply about, and in 2021, as it started to come to the foreground in discussions within the theatre industry, we began to think about what more we could be doing, where our responsibilities lay, and what that meant for our future productions.
So, we are now working with the Theatre Green Book, a fantastic initiative for the theatre industry that sets standards for making productions sustainably; for making theatre buildings sustainable; and for improving aspects like catering and front of house.
Through this we’re taking part in the research project ‘Transitioning to Sustainable Productions’ co-commissioned by Arts Council England and Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. River Land, our production which will be performed in July 2022, is a case study for this research project alongside two other productions from the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
We are excited to learn lots along the way about how we can transition towards environmentally sustainable work and then share what we discover with a wider audience. As the writers of the Green Book brilliantly say, “If theatre is to be part of the most vital conversation humanity faces, then it has to change its practice.”
If you want to talk to us about our Green Book journey, or anything linked to environmental sustainability in the theatre sector please feel free to get in touch with Rachael Duthie, rachael@theatrealibi.co.uk. We’d love to talk to you!