Climate crisis and coming of age story collide in ‘Too Much World at Once’ at Theatr Clwyd

North-West writer Billie Collins is set to bring her play Too Much World at Once to Theatr Clwyd in Mold, exploring growing up queer in rural England and the climate emergency. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The debut work from Papatango shortlisted writer Billie Collins, the play is a coming of age story set against the backdrop of the climate crisis. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Noble, on his fifteenth birthday, transforms into a bird and thousands of miles away, his sister Cleo is stationed on a remote island with the British Antarctic Survey, with the birds having disappeared. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Noble needs to reach her and, while lying low until it’s time to take flight, he finds solace in misfit Ellis while his mother, Fiona, desperately tries to stop their home from falling apart. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The play was first written by Collins at just 21 years old on an early-career development programme for North West playwrights, PlayBox. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Joint Artistic Director of Box of Tricks, Adam Quayle, commissioned the play to be developed through their New Tricks programme, and they are now on the cusp of sharing this urgent new play with audiences nationwide. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Quayle said of the play, “the play is at once lyrical, epic, theatrical and heartfelt and speaks to our world today – exploring the climate emergency, young queer identity, family.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It has been a few tough years for theatre, and Quayle is doubly excited to be staging this epic new play. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Too Much World At Once will be performed at Theatr Clwyd from Tuesday 11 April to Wednesday 12 April. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Collins is a writer from the Wirral, based in Manchester, whose debut play will be produced by Box of Tricks at HOME Manchester in March 2023 before going on tour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She was also selected for the 2022 BBC Writersroom Northern Voices scheme and has projects in development with ThickSkin Theatre and Toastie Animation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Tickets for the production, which is suitable for ages 14 and above, are available from Theatr Clwyd’s website or by calling 01352 344101, with prices starting at £10.