Talking About the Fire at the Royal Court Theatre

Blending the lines between drama and activism, Chris Thorpe’s Talking About the Fire is a 90-minute one-hander that warns its audience about the genuine dangers posed by nuclear weapons, of which there are currently around 12,500 in the world. Juxtaposing his characteristic quick wit with a range of shocking facts, he creates a tour de force that is both mesmerising and likely successful in its call to action.

Naturally, it’s not a lecture, but polemical theatre: a more balanced approach isn’t necessarily what one would expect, but it does come at the cost of not mentioning several more uplifting facts (such as that the world has reduced its nuclear arsenal from 60,000 in the late 80s – a staggering number that shows that previous efforts have been successful to some degree).

Nevertheless, Thorpe’s main points regarding the threat are spot-on and the necessity of reducing the number to 0 should be obvious. The war in Ukraine and the Israel and Gaza conflict prove that we are as close to nuclear armageddon now as during the Cold War.

Thorpe’s production narrates his encounter with Veronique Christory, who is the Senior Arms Adviser for the International Committee of the Red Cross. She has been fighting for the implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which offers a framework within which disarmament might be able to be accomplished – an ambitious and urgent goal, if one that will be tough to reach.

But it’s not all just a gloomy lecture. Thorpe’s charming interaction with the audience is always amusing and eccentric: he chats casually with individuals, makes himself a tea while on stage and hands out biscuits. In the middle of all of the serious engagements with a dark topic, he does his best to make the show entertaining. In the last half-hour of the runtime, he even starts a brief Zoom call with Christory and allows for two questions to be asked.

Talking About the Fire is unusual; it’s difficult to call it theatre per se, although Thorpe’s improvisation skills are unmatched and will certainly be enjoyable for any viewer who can cope with the dire state of the world. But it’s really his call to action that makes this an urgent performance that needs to be seen.

Michael Higgs
Images: Arnim Friess

Talking About the Fire is at the Royal Court Theatre from 6^th until 16^th December 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.