The Beautiful Future Is Coming – Traverse Theatre

This is an ambitious, well-crafted and very watchable play about the climate crisis. Flora Wilson Brown has written an intriguing drama which covers a period of 246 years.

In 1856 we are in New York with Eunice and her husband, John. This part of the story was inspired by the American scientist, Eunice Foote, who discovered the greenhouse effect: that higher carbon dioxide levels lead to a hotter planet.

Phoebe Thomas (Eunice) gives a captivating performance as the brilliant scientist who is increasingly frustrated by the fact that men won’t take her seriously because she is a woman. Eunice has apocalyptic nightmares about the fate facing the world if people won’t listen to her warnings. Matt Whitchurch is impressive as her husband, John, who tells his wife she can be ‘difficult’, but that he would not have her any other way. However, Eunice is not impressed when John tells her she has an “incredible brilliant brain in the body of a woman. That’s remarkable”.

Nina Singh (Claire) and Jyuddah Jaymes (Dan) are in London in 2027. They work for a company selling tote bags to environmental campaigns such as Greenpeace. The bags are then given to people who donate to the campaigns. But a recent confidential report has shown that the bags are not as environmentally friendly as was thought. The suppliers use twice as much water as advertised and the slogans on the bag are created not from painted dye, but from plastic. The company decides not to publish this damning report.

Singh and Jaymes are delightful as the young couple getting to know each other and then falling deeply in love. They talk about getting married and having two children.

Dan’s mother’s house is built on a flood plain. And when fierce floods strike, she goes to the second floor of her house and waits to be rescued by the fire and rescue services.  Singh and James handle some emotionally draining scenes with total conviction.

In 2100 we meet Ana and Malcolm. They are scientists working on a small island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. They’re trying to develop wheat from germinated seeds imported from New Zealand. But they’ve been marooned by a storm which has so far lasted 86 days.

Meanwhile Ana, whose pregnancy was not evident when they started work could give birth very soon. They have only intermittent contact with their colleagues who will rescue them once the rain stops. Ana is increasingly anxious and tells Malcolm he may have to help deliver her baby.

Rosie Dwyer (Ana) and James Bradwell (Malcolm) have a great rapport. Malcolm is a bit shy but appears to carry a torch for Ana whose pregnancy was not planned although she says her lover could be a good father if that’s what he wants. But she seems close to Malcolm and depends on him for emotional support. Bradwell’s acting is particularly poignant when Malcolm opens up about the deaths of his parents, both killed as a result of the climate crisis.

At the end of the play Dwyer delivers a moving speech from Ana to her unborn baby in which she struggles with mixed feelings about bringing a baby into the world when everything seems so bleak because of the climate emergency. But she tries to be optimistic.

Nancy Medina directs with flair and clarity. Often couples are on stage at the same time, but they are skillfully directed so they do not distract from others. In fact, sometimes the repetition of the same or similar lines helps to emphasise that couples are facing similar problems.

Aldo Vázquez rises to the challenge of designing costumes for three different eras, and his clever set facilitates fluid action and easy scene changes.

Femi Temowo has composed some beautiful accompanying music.

Elena Peña’s sound effects are moody and atmospheric. Sometimes they are played a little too loudly and this occasionally distracts from what the actors are saying. And perhaps there could have been rather less use of thunder, wind and storm effects.

Ryan Day’s lighting design effortlessly moves between the three periods and is particularly striking in the scenes set in 2100 when there are several power cuts caused by the storm. I would have liked less use of the almost incessant haze.

Lex Kaby does a fine job as Intimacy Director, which results in very natural and comfortable interactions between Claire and Dan.

This is a packed 90 minutes with more content than many hefty novels or tv mini-series. There is a lot for the audience to take in. Each of the three-time settings would provide ample material for one play. But although you could make an argument for saying that too much is packed into this one act play, it is intriguing to view the developing climate crisis from three points in history. And this production cleverly links the three stories.

The title of the play is optimistic. But there is a more ambivalent message in the play, reflecting the fact that increasingly people feel anxious about the fact that not enough is being done about the climate emergency.

But be assured. This is not a depressing watch. It’s a slick production with plenty of light moments, and even some laughs. And it’s not just about the climate emergency. It’s also a fascinating study of relationships as we watch the interactions of the three couples. Recommended

This Bristol Old Vic production is the Scottish premiere of the play.

The Beautiful Future Is Coming runs until 24th August.  Tickets available at https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on

Reviewer: Tom Scott

Reviewed: 6th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: