New Australian Play VERY HAPPY CHILDREN Captures Youth Climate Change Anxiety

New play Very Happy Children with Bright and Wonderful Futures by Joshua Maxwell is being officially published this week and is a story that shares an important message beyond the stage. The play cleverly depicts the issues of climate change through the eyes of young activists whose views are dismissed, even as a bushfire threatens their hometown.

The play which has been published digitally and in hard copy by PlayLab, remarkably blends activism with performance and was inspired by the Black Summer bushfires in 2019/2020 and subsequent climate protests.

Undoubtedly a call to action on the issue of climate change, Very Happy Children with Bright and Wonderful Futures was inspired by the way youth have been influenced by Greta Thunberg and standing united on political territory to demand a transformation in policy.

Even the name of the play speaks to this generational divide, a searing reference to Trump's 2019 UN speech where he dismissively referred to Greta Thunburg as a 'very happy child with a bright and wonderful future'. The ideals of Greta Thunburg loom large in this story, as well as those of young activists closer to home.

Playwright and queer theatre-maker, Joshua isn't new to the industry nor highlighting big political issues. Joshua has worked professionally in the arts industry since he was young and is passionate about providing young people with a platform to be seen and heard in the performing arts space.

"I am incredibly honoured to have this play published by PlayLab as it's been one of the most enduring projects I have ever worked on, coupled with themes that are deeply personal to me," explained Joshua.

"This play is by young people, for young people, and it was inspired in large part by the climate protests of 2019-20 and the subsequent demonisation by right-wing media and some politicians of its largely young participants.

"The teen protagonists in the play are in turn hopeful, angry, disappointed and terrified as their world crumbles around them, but the production resounds with hope in the next generation and their passion to change the world for the better," added Joshua.

Aside from his writing credentials and being Co-Owner and Artistic Director of Jopuka Productions, Joshua has been heavily involved with other movements, particularly the marriage equality referendum campaign in 2018 and action against climate change. The origins of this story pay homage to Joshua's activist roots.

"I was standing in the middle of the School Strike 4 Climate Action in Adelaide in March 2019. I was just so inspired as a theatre maker by the voice these young people had and just knew I wanted to bring that movement and moment to the stage.

As 2019 continued, a clearer picture emerged, "The bushfires dominated the news and I saw a glimmer of a story I could tell about both the protests and the fires. We were then challenged with a global pandemic and flooding which have all inspired the final pieces of the puzzle for this story," continued Joshua.

Writing the play proved more difficult than Joshua anticipated, with the majority of the story developed while we all lived through COVID-19 lockdowns.

"Literally the three national disasters mentioned in the play were the top three challenges we faced during the development of this story. Bushfires postponed the project, but then inspired it taking a new direction. Then we faced COVID and all that followed it. Lastly, we had on opening night of the production locally in 2021 and the theatre flooded, which saw the cancellation of several performances," explained Joshua.

Another aim for publishing Very Happy Children with Bright and Wonderful Futures is to have readers or an audience be inspired to not just listen to these young people, but join them.

"I hope sharing this play makes an impact in some big or small way and that's ideally action on climate change. This work is my response to the climate, but also my contribution. If I can make a bigger contribution as the play grows, then I will wholeheartedly commit to that," concluded Joshua.

Very Happy Children with Bright and Wonderful Futures is available via PlayLab from 3 April 2022. For more information visit https://playlabtheatre.com.au/product-category/new-releases/?orderby=date

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