History of the project

“The detailed theory of emergence shows that the instabilities and subsequent jumps to new forms of organization are the result of fluctuations amplified by feedback loops. The system encounters a small disturbance, which then circulates around multiple feedback loops and is amplified until the system as a whole becomes unstable. At this point, it will either break down or break through to a new form of order.”

Fritjof Capra, in the foreword to Theatre for Living by David Diamond, Trafford Publishing, 2007

IN A NUTSHELL: first, our main stage Forum Theatre project for 2008, "2º of Adaptation: making choices while the climate changes" had to be cancelled because we could not raise the funding. Out of the ashes of this, emerged a series of grassroots community events on global warming that we are calling: "2º of Fear and Desire".

IN DETAIL: Despite the larger community’s enthusiasm and profound interest in 2º of Adaptation, Headlines’ main stage Forum Theatre project for 2007/08, had to be cancelled in November, 2007. Our approach to possibly the most important issue facing humanity today, was regarded as innovative and extremely timely. 106 people had applied to us for places in the community workshop and cast; word about the project was spreading far and wide. And yet, we had a very difficult time raising funds for the production, which was to investigate the blockages we face in making core behavioural change in our lives in relation to climate issues. We believe that what we encountered is a sense from some funders that the environment is something “out there” that we can go and fix, and that the solutions are “top down”. What this misses is that we are the environment. The adaptations and mitigations that are necessary in the face of climate change lie inside us.

As a build-up into the Forum production, we had produced 3 nights of “public workshop” on Nov. 8, 9 and 10 at the Rhizome Café, in Vancouver. We called these 2º of fear and desire (a theatrical inquiry into climate change – with no play, no actors and no script).

The response from audience members was spectacular!  Click here for responses from audiences members.

And so, after recovering from the initial shock of the death of 2º of Adaptation, we wondered if we were witnessing the natural evolution of the project into a series of grassroots events.

It appears to us that the difficulty raising the funds for the larger project is part of a signal we are getting regarding what is most appropriate at this point in time regarding the climate change issue. The subject is so large, scary and also somewhat amorphous, that the best way to access it is in very focused, deeply grassroots events.