Coping with «climate mourning» - Renelde Pierlot
Renelde is well established in the Luxembourg theatre scene. Trained as an actress, she is also active as a director and teacher. Her many activities have given her a global vision of the field. In the context of climate change, she and her ASBL "Les Frerebri(des)" made a name for themselves with their creation Robert(s)", a play on the theme of ecology.
"We looked at reducing our carbon footprint and sought to integrate this challenge into our approach to artistic creation. We wanted to have the smallest possible carbon footprint, while having the greatest possible social impact. That's why the costumes and sets, among other things, were made from recycled materials. The team was also encouraged to use public transport as much as possible, not least to transport sets and equipment from one location to another. Even the audience had to lend a hand: mounted on bicycles, spectators had to pedal to generate the electricity needed to light the show. We even went so far as to mobilise a choir to increase the social impact and involve as many people as possible in the theme. The obvious conclusion is that if we want to use less fossil energy, we need more human energy. We need to take the time to question everything and come up with real solutions".
Renelde carried out intensive research in order to be able to stage such a play in a credible way: "What I have become increasingly aware of is that even though information on environmental issues is accessible to everyone, many people are not informed at all. You assume that they are, because these are fundamental issues for the future of each and every one of us, but they're not. This realisation caused me to fall into a kind of depression and I had to come to terms with my 'climate grief'. In particular, I was frustrated to realise that publications from the 70s and 80s had already predicted and warned about many aspects. This intense reflection led to emotional reactions: rejection, sadness, anger, acceptance... I found myself in a spiral of emotions. I want to produce less, and when I do, I want to produce more efficiently. But it's all a question of budget. But recycling doesn't mean spending less - quite the opposite. Upcycling is linked to a greater human commitment, and therefore to additional costs. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The biggest challenge is undoubtedly the theatre audience, which has the biggest carbon footprint. But in the end you always find a way out and come across people whose ideas inspire you and take you on board! I hope that the theatre world will continue to receive the support it needs, particularly in the research phase. Because, through our art form, our mission is more than ever to constantly hold up a living, contemporary mirror to society."