Theatres of Dust, 1st ed. 2021 Climate Gothic Analysis in Contemporary Australian Drama and Performance Landscapes

Through a contemporary Gothic lens, the book explores theatre theories, processes and practices that explore; the impacts of continuing drought and natural disaster, the conflicts concerning resource extraction and mining and current political debates focussed on climate change denial. While these issues can be argued from various political and economic platforms, theatrical investigations as discussed here suggest that scholars and theatre makers are becoming empowered to dramaturgically explore the ecological challenges we face now and may face in the future. In doing so the book proposes that theatre can engage in not only climate change analysis and discussion but can develop climate literacies in a broader socio-cultural context.

Chapter 1: Theatres of Dust.- Chapter 2: Mutating the Climate Gothic into Australian Gothic.- Chapter 3: The Monstrous Gothic.- Chapter 4: Gothic Atmosphere and Extinction.- Chapter 5: The Mythic Space.- Chapter 6: Romatic Legacies: Eco-cricism in Australian Performance.-  Chapter 7: Greening Theatre Landscapes – Sustainable Australian Theatre Production.-  Chapter 8: Conclusion: Theatres of Hope.

Linda Hassall is Field of Study Coordinator Drama Major at Griffith University, Australia. She is a theatre scholar and an award-winning playwright (Post Office Rose 2008) and director (Salvation 2013). Linda worked in the performing arts for 25 years before joining Griffith University. Her research interest lies is in the binary between performance landscapes and climate change themes and aims to provoke social discussion and cultural change.

Discusses theatre theories and practices which explore climate change Considers dramaturgical themes of resource extraction and drought Argues theatre can develop climate literacies in a broader socio-cultural context