Past productions

FRACKED!

27 March – 5 April 2025

by Alistair Beaton

Professor Elizabeth Blackwood had hoped for a quiet retirement with her husband, Jack… but that was until Deerland Energy had earmarked their pretty village of Fenstock as a place to ‘explore for shale gas’. She’s now on a mission to stop them, by whatever legitimate means are necessary.

But Deerland Energy aren’t fazed by Elizabeth: she’s just another ‘mad old biddy’. Besides, they’ve hired smooth-talking PR guru Joe Boxberg to show the locals how fracking will bring them prosperity.

But how far will Elizabeth and a ragged band of protestors go to keep fracking out of Fenstock? Can they even succeed when the Chair of the Planning Committee seems open to lucrative offers?

This razor-sharp black comedy takes a timely look at the conflicted core of planetary energy and earthly power. Fracked! received its world premiere at the Chichester’s Minerva Theatre in July 2016.

Cast

Directed by Gail Bishop

Photography by Chris Fenton

Review | March 2025 | Theo Spring

The sub-title to this play is “Please Don’t Use The F-Word” and this, under it’s accepted meaning, was most certainly ignored by playwright Alistair Beaton. Not a fan of its current popularity in both normal speech and the media, it must be said that here, for Public Relations account holder Joe, it necessarily underlined the character, so well delivered by James Mercer. Joe spends the play redefining his company’s modus operandi as his brief to bring Fracking to an area including s small cosy village is constantly thwarted by activists, and one lady in particular. The way James Mercer as Joe tried to turn around each problem as it arose, using his contacts, bribery and slippery charm, kept the play boiling along with the underlying hope, of course, that his efforts would not succeed and those against the drilling would win.

To underline the understanding of how Fracking works, there was a very helpful video – ostensibly shown to a village meeting and we, the audience, were those attending that meeting. The installation method was very clearly described in animation by Nick Murray Willis, and explained, with very careful words of course, just how wonderful it was and how beneficial it would be. My guess is that for many in the audience, this was a welcome explanation of how Fracking works. The play’s script, however, went on to reveal all the downsides and effects on the landscape.

The main protagonist against allowing Fracking to come to the village was Elizabeth – not a vociferous activist to begin with, but whose efforts increased as the play progressed, sometimes using the same underhand tactics that Joe employed. Sue Woods cleverly evolved Elizabeth from her initial irritation to a full-blown militant without being strident, revealing as she went along, a contentment with a lack of mobile phone signal (unless walking up to a nearby field, guarded by a bull!). Her ‘normal housewife’ approach contrasted believably with her steeliness to object, once roused.

Elizabeth is married to Jack with Peter Damesick making much of this delightful comedy role. He has some of the best comedy lines and they were expertly delivered. Jack just wants a peaceful life and finds it hard to go along with Elizabeth’s plans. He is a real dinosaur with no wish to embrace technology. His protection of Elizabeth is evident, none more so than with a final threat to the policeman coming to arrest Elizabeth, that he is capturing the event on his phone and if she is harmed, it could “go vital”. Elizabeth gently corrects him – “viral” he means!

Several characters double up successfully in Fracked!. Penny Parker kicks of the public meeting as the Lady Mayor whose microphone has constant feedback, slowly losing her cool, and later as Emma, part of the Fracking company. Ian Caldecourt revealed his nervousness early on as Hal, head of the Fracking company who had employed PR Joe. Hal is not a strident man and is initially easily led by Joe’s underhand methods. His transformation to Cllr Neville Pilbeam was outstanding – a greedy, money-grabbing man with an accent far removed from Hal’s.

Smaller roles were all well cast. Asher Byrne is Malik, Joe’s PR techie with enviable computer skills – an excellent interpretation here. Bram Stein is the believable protester Sam – a gentle soul fond of hugs. Samuel Gower’s Waiter brought aplomb and comedy to his dessert menu discussion with Cllr Pilbeam and Ann Lovell was Elizabeth’s more strident friend Jenny who successfully eggs her on.

Use of the revolve moved the scenes mostly between Elizabeth and Jack’s really lovely country kitchen, complete with an Aga, to the PR office, in a set realistically designed by Mike Bell. Music during scene changes brought a hint battle to mind and the use of Nimrod to underscore the Fracking video, with its calming overtones, was inspired.

A play with a message, bringing comedy and top class acting to the stage, was truly well achieved by Director Gail Bishop. It closed with a message. As Elizabeth is given her ‘rights’ by the arresting policeman and asked if she understood them. “Yes” she replies and, turning to the audience and with reference to the Fracking asked “Do You?”