Overview
Synopsis
Earthquakes in London tells the story of a single family against the larger backdrop of climate change and corporate corruption. Environmental scientist Robert Crannock became all too aware of the dangers of emissions from the growing airline industry, yet he sold out to big business. After becoming estranged from his three daughters following the death of his wife, he has become a cynical prophet of doom with little feeling or regard for his troubled children. Sarah is a Liberal Democrat in a fictionalized version of the UK coalition government of 2010-2015, Freya is a heavily pregnant teaching assistant suffering from anxiety and depression, while Jasmine (who does not remember her father) is a snarky, hedonistic student, who has been expelled from university. In a wild, cataclysmic, and fantastical series of events, the painful intimacies of family life are pitted against the catastrophe of world consumerism.
Show Information
- Book
- Mike Bartlett
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 2010
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- England, 1970s-Present Day
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- Nick Hern Book
- Ideal For
- College/University, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Late Teen, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
|
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, either natural or human-induced.
A type of drama that uses new methods of writing, staging, and performance, rather than traditional or conventional dramatic methods.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher