The Bridge Theatre is playing ‘Lungs’ by Duncan MacMillan. ‘Lungs’ is the Bridge Theatre’s second production and a new version of the award-winning play that brings to attention the dilemmas of a global society trying to live sustainably in the 21st century.
Lungs is a funny and emotionally engaging drama, in which a couple considers parenthood. They want to have a child for the right reasons. But in a time of global anxiety, erratic weather and political unrest, what exactly are the right reasons? Written ten years ago, this prescient play is now more relevant than ever.
In this play, as in all its productions, the Bridge Theatre aims to shine a light on a specific socially relevant topic – in this case sustainability. As their purpose is to connect people via culture, it is important for The Bridge Theatre to make the link between what happens on stage and our everyday lives. Some performances also feature a post-show talk exploring sustainability from different angles: city planning and architecture, the fashion industry, climate anxiety in young people, as well as climate responsibility of the corporate world.
“Lungs is a fantastic piece of drama: intimate, relatable, funny” says artistic director Edward McMillan. “We can all imagine being the couple we see presented on stage. The playwright, Duncan Macmillan, pushes their universality by not actually giving them names: the characters are simply presented as ‘W’ and ‘M’. This play could happen anywhere in the world and these people could be anyone, even you or me".
“The play is explicitly dealing with sustainability issues but from a very personal and human perspective. It does not prescribe behaviour, rather makes us interrogate our own choices more deeply. Although written over ten years ago, the themes explored in the play only become more relevant as we surpass 8 billion people and warm beyond 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.”
The Bridge Theatre is a professional English-language theatre in Brussels that attempts to connect people in the capital through culture. It currently operates in a nomadic setting.
For this production of ‘Lungs’, the Bridge Theatre has gathered an international team of creatives from both the UK and Belgium. Seasoned stage and screen actor, Tim Bowie (Guildhall School of Music and Drama) will play opposite recent graduate Georgina Armfield (Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts), for this 90-minute drama. They will be directed by the award-winning Kate McGregor. The creative team is completed by Charlotte Cooke (Set & Costume Designer), Stef Van Alsenoy (Sound Designer) and Marco Bertozzi (Lighting Designer).
Lungs by Duncan Macmillan
Venue: RESET, De Lignestraat 8, 1000 Brussels
17 May – 3 June
Tuesdays – Saturdays at 8pm and Saturdays at 4pm
Tickets: €10 - €40