Shakespeare’s ‘Shipwreck Trilogy’?

The Shipwreck Trilogy is prominently sponsored by BP – quite apt, we feel, considering the ecological and human disasters the company continues to be responsible for in the Gulf of Mexico, the Canadian tar sands, the Arctic and, indeed, the entire global climate.

We, the Reclaim Shakespeare Company, felt this should not go unacknowledged. So far we have taken to the stage twice at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, just before the performances of The Tempest and Twelfth Night began, to challenge the RSC and its audience through short Shakespeare-inspired performances. The first performance, and our manifesto – ‘BP or not BP?’ – can be viewed here:

http://bp-or-not-bp.org/

The second performance – a song – can be viewed here:

http://bp-or-not-bp.org/news/we-strike-again-with-green-and-yellow-melancholy/

Below we copy the script from the first and the lyrics from the second. We believe action is eloquence, and would be most glad to get your thoughts on this matter.

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Performance one: Out, damn logo!

What country, friends, is this? [raises programme]
Where the words of our most prized poet
Can be bought to beautify a patron
So unnatural as British Petroleum?

Strange association! [Performer unveils image of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster]
They, who have incensed the seas and shores
From a dark deepwater horizon
Who have unleashed most foul destruction [Performer unveils image of tar sands]
Upon far Canada’s aged forests,
Clawing out the lungs of our sickening earth
Who even now would bespoil the high, white Arctic [Performer unveils image of
untarnished arctic]
In desperate search of more black gold
To make them ever richer. These savage villains!

And yet –
They wear a painted face of bright green leaves,
Mask themselves with sunshine.
And with fine deceitful words
They steal into our theatres, and our minds.

They would have us sleep.
But this great globe of ours is such stuff as dreams are made on.
Most delicate, wondrous, to be nurtured
For our children and theirs beyond.

Let not BP turn these dreams to nightmares.
Fuelling the Future? Thou liest malignant thing! [holding up programme, looking at back page]

Do we sleep?
I find not myself disposed to sleep.

Let us break their staff that would bewitch us!

Out damned logo! [rips out logo from programme]

Performer:
We invite you to join us in tearing the logo from your programme.
Please help us to free the arts from BP.
There will be people with buckets to collect these logos at the end of the performance.
We are the Reclaim Shakespeare Company.
We hope you enjoy tonight’s show

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Performance two: Green and yellow melancholy

‘When I hear that BP story

Green and yellow melancholy

Deepwater despair

Does the drill that pierces the Arctic bear my name?
Does the drill that pierces the Arctic bear their name?
Does the drill that pierces the Arctic bear your name?
Does the drill that pierces the Arctic bear our name?’