Canberra playwright David Finnigan makes
performance art that communicates scientific ideas
in a way that won’t bore the crap out of you. “It feels
like we could be heading towards a pretty rough
century,” he reflects. “Scientists have been studying
big issues like climate change and species extinction,
but the problem is, they’re terrible communicators.
My theatre-maker friends and I thought, ‘The skillset
of an artist is, ideally, to be a communicator – so,
maybe artists can help bridge that gap.’”
It’s inspired him to write Kill Climate Deniers, the
first-ever live action story in which terrorists take over
Australia’s Parliament House. “Are we a real country if
we haven’t had a narrative like that?” he asks jokingly.
Well, yes – but apparently one with people who find the
show’s premise more than a little confronting. “It’s a
high-octane action adventure about a politician killing
eco-terrorists to the tune of trashy dance music,”
David explains, quickly adding: “It’s a romp.” But when
professional shit-stirrer Andrew Bolt penned a hit piece
about it a few years back, the play became a political hot
potato, too risky for theatre companies to take on.
While a Canberra politician (unsuccessfully) tried
to get the play’s funding revoked, and certain other
individuals huffed and puffed, David translated
the production into as many other artforms as he
possibly could. Kill Climate Deniers became a dance
album; an e-book; a short film. You can even do a
KDC walking tour of Parliament House. Ultimately,
however, the show did find a home – at Sydney’s
Griffin Theatre, where it was also awarded their
prestigious annual prize for “an outstanding play or
performance text that displays an authentic, inventive
and contemporary Australian voice”.
David’s works continue to be just as curious as this
one. He’s currently juggling two projects: Love Force
Crime Scene (“It’s got some science elements, but it’s
also literally a boy band concert and a murder mystery,”
he explains) and 44 Sex Acts in One Week (a “terrible
rom- com” about a writer who works for a click-bait blog
and is tasked with reviewing a book about sex positions).
Although now in his 30s, not much has changed for
David since he was in year 12, writing and producing
his first attempt at theatre – a Satre-inspired sci-fi
tale. In fact, his entire catalogue of work has sprung
from a peer-led stage-writing community in his
hometown of Canberra. “It’s a great way of making
friends if you’re a dork and don’t have great social
skills,” David says. “That was me.”
PhotoLeanne Dixon