Directed by Isla Cowan and Andy McGregor

Story and Lyrics by Isla Cowan

Music, Lyrics, and Arrangements by Andy McGregor

Review by Dominic Corr

Tickets from £15.50

Hands glued to artwork. Black paint slathered over monuments, buildings, and vehicles. Cabe ties, posters, campaigns, and marches. The history of our right to protest is a long one. A right and an art form we need to keep fighting for.                

Only in recent history, one of the most notable for the UK was the Greenpeace activist occupation of the defunct oil storage unit Brent Spar, 100 miles off the Shetland, after learning of oil and profit-guzzling Shell’s decision to drag the buoy into deep waters and sink it, rather than remove it on land and salvage the scrap. The ensuing battle between the protestors, Shell, the media, and the British government was (eventually) met with ire and scorn on an international stage – and struck a decisive blow to the reputations of these enormous oil giants.

To Save The Sea doesn’t bog itself too heavily into the politics of the matter; it doesn’t need to. In a world where we still somehow struggle with accepting the brutal reality of the climate crisis, Sleeping Warrior’s Andy McGregor and playwright Isla Cowantreat the subject with the full-volume voice and direction that the argument has been lacking. The structure of the sung-through-musical offers a direct and refreshing approach which takes adjustment for those with a more ‘jukebox’ variety stuck in their head – something which is in the safest and boldest of hands in the pair, providing lyrics and sharing directorial responsibilities.

Though the characters are fictional, their methods and structures are recognisable: a mum, a rebellious student, a gutsy and determined activist and an experienced campaigner. And it’s an impressive cast – consisting of eight dippings and diving around Claire Halleran’sclimbing-frame replicated rig; oil drums, rusted, entirely authentic – it metallic surfaces and angles bouncing Simon Wilkinson’s creative lighting design all around – flooding the space with spotlights to emulate helicopters and hone in on that ‘intrusive’ feeling as the protestor-cast skitter around; Kara Swinney’s role as Rachel, a mother, a highlight for its poignancy as they look for a better world for their kids. The performance works well with a determined aggression that collides with a solid debut from Kaylah Copeland, as the American journalist who swithers with the story and the right course of action.

But what of the big bad capitalists? Those greedy, grubby tycoons with fossil fuels in their hearts and politicians in their pockets.

For a city so (rightly) adverse to the Conservative Party, To Save The Sea continues a trend at The Tron, where one of the more successful and entertaining characters is a former Tory Prime Minister. And where Damian Barr’s Maggie and Me lampooned The Iron Lady, here Ewan Somers turns the grey man themselves, John Major, into a highlight of the show – and arguably snatching the show-stealing number which continues the production’s bizarre habit of turning our antagonists into the strongest elements. It’s camp and ridiculous but also remarkably clever in lyricism and construct in moments. Equally, numbers relating to the Shell CEO board members Rupert, David, and Karen are catchy and well-versed – and regrettably far more memorable and more accessible to grasp than many of the Protestor’s numbers. David Rankine is an absolute hoot as Rupert, throwing subtlety to the wind with mirth, their man-spreading and churlish manner, and all the flourishes of clever direction and character design that lift these comedic moments to rejuvenating heights.

While the message is clear and essential, the script occasionally sinks under the surface – lacking bite, nuance, or flavour to keep its head above water. The threads between characters and narrative are lacking, and a collection of defiant themes and actions requires more depth and exploration. Romances flourish and die within moments, and the depths of the character roles might be better suited to a traditional two-act structure, but these are not the core intentions of the piece – and it’s in the music, the purpose, and the atmosphere that McGregor and Cowan focus.

Rightly so, To Save The Sea recognises that the fight goes on for protestors, scientists, activists, and vitally – all of us. It’s a raucous and bombastic musical theatre experience, reminiscent of the North Sea’s blustering gales and the clattering oil drums littering the Tron stage. There’s a rising tide against our future where the Climate Crisis is concerned, and an equal force comes from fresh generations of artists and creatives to meet it face-on with a maelstrom of intent and defiant ingenuity.

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