Elizabeth Ayodele Will Lead The World Premiere of HOW TO SAVE THE PLANET WHEN YOU'RE A YOUNG CARER AND BROKE

Elizabeth Ayodele has been cast in the world premiere of How To Save The Planet When You're A Young Carer And Broke by multi-award-winning writer Nessah Muthy. Working with commissioner Boundless Theatre, Ayodele will take the production across London, performing in the heart of communities, in partnership with schools, young carer groups, climate activists and community organisations. This mobile, adaptable and sustainably made show represents a new model of working post-pandemic and demonstrates Boundless Theatre as an important innovator in the industry.

How To Save The Planet When You're A Young Carer And Broke is a comic, slightly outrageous and complex piece that aims to explore some of the most pressing issues facing all of us today. The company have collaborated with climate justice activist Daze Aghaji seeking to empower young audiences, particularly those under-represented in the current climate movement, to find ways in which they can be climate activists in their own lives. Directed by Stef O'Driscoll (A History of Water in the Middle East by Sabrina Mahfouz; Lit by Sophie Ellerby) it is a provocative exploration of the themes of class, being a young carer, legacy and existence. The work responds directly to conversations and provocations from Boundless' Advisory Group and community of 15-25-year-olds who are demanding urgent responses to the climate emergency.

As part of the production, Boundless Theatre have also programmed pre-show parties, workshops and talks as well as special events. Before each performance, audiences are invited to join the team for vegan pizza, live music and a chance to help source props and make climate activism slogans that will be used in the show. At the end of the performance, the audience are then invited to share their own climate actions and pass on a message to future audiences, supported by the show's creative team. Plus, Boundless is curating a series of free talks and workshops for early career theatre makers with full details to be announced.

How To Save The Planet When You're A Young Carer And Broke follows Lavisha Smith - a working class 14-year-old from the Roundshaw estate in Greater London. Lavisha was raised by her mother, Faith, who has recently been forced back to work despite her disabilities.

Lavisha is smart and her intelligence has landed her in a top local grammar school, but she's struggling and lonely. She has been side-lined by her old friends and is constantly clashing with more middle-class, climate-protesting peers at her new school. It's not that she doesn't get climate change, of course she does, and it terrifies her, but for Lavisha there are more immediate issues, like making sure Mum doesn't faint again because her iron levels are so low.

Lavisha is a funny, kind and talented girl and this is her first encounter of real class struggle and existentialism. She also finds Greta Thunberg kind of hot when she's angry... in all seriousness though: the planet's imploding, but so are so many parts of Lavisha's own life - can you really be working class and save the planet?

How To Save The Planet When You're A Young Carer And Broke will be Elizabeth Ayodele's professional stage debut. She is a recent graduate from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Tickets are available from the Boundless website https://boundlesstheatre.org.uk/buy-tickets/

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