A Flooded London Sets the Stage for Ambitious Climate Musical
An experimental new musical tackling climate disaster has opened at London's New Diorama Theatre, presenting audiences with a dystopian vision of a flooded capital. Precipice unfolds within a tower block overlooking the Thames, where residents survive on the 16th floor after biomedical waste dumping causes catastrophic flooding.
The production represents a collaborative effort from director Adam Lenson and creators Stu Barter, Rachel Bellman, Annabelle Lee Revak, Darren Clark, and Shaye Poulton Richards. They've crafted an electro-folk soundtrack to accompany two separate storylines spanning different centuries, though the connections between them remain frustratingly opaque for much of the performance.
Dual Timelines Create Narrative Confusion
One narrative strand follows survivors in the distant future of 2425, while the other appears to be set in what might be the 1990s, given references to DVDs. In this earlier timeline, we meet scientist Ash (Eric Stroud) and civil servant Emily (Holly Freeman), a couple moving into a luxury high-rise that may be the same 16th-floor flat featured in the future scenes.
Both characters are conveniently connected to the impending environmental catastrophe through their professions. However, their short, fragmented scenes feel more like filler material between musical numbers rather than compelling storytelling that drives the narrative forward.
Musical Elements That Struggle to Connect
The production features meditative-paced music that grounds the story rather than propelling it, particularly as the central couple's relationship begins to deteriorate. While the instrumental arrangements show promise with their blend of synth, guitar, cello and harmonica, the songs themselves fail to make a lasting impression.
Lyrics prove cumbersome and pedestrian, attempting emotional depth but often sounding waffly instead. The musical numbers include an unusual piece about a Monopoly game, another concerning a mudlarker that feels disconnected from the main narrative, and one tackling anti-microbial resistance - certainly an ambitious topic for a song.
Worldbuilding within the dystopian future feels haphazard and underdeveloped. Characters reference mysterious concepts like "The Balance" and give thanks to an unexplained figure named Robin Blake. A deadly Tombola reminiscent of The Hunger Games results in one resident's eviction, but without sufficient context about the dangers beyond the tower block, the stakes never feel genuinely threatening.
When character Biscuits (Max Alexander-Taylor) draws the short straw, the moment lacks impact because we know so little about his backstory or fears. Important background information, such as the establishment of martial law in 2034, arrives too late in the production to provide meaningful context.
The creative team's endeavour to break new ground in musical theatre is evident throughout Precipice. Unfortunately, their ambitious attempt at reimagining the form ultimately overwhelms the dramatic elements, leaving audiences with more questions than answers about this climate-conscious dystopia.
Precipice continues its run at New Diorama Theatre in London until 13 December.
