Earthquakes in London

by Mike Bartlett

It's Cabaret, we've got our heads down and we're dancing and drinking as fast as we can. The enemy is on its way, but this time it doesn't have guns and gas it has storms and earthquakes, fire and brimstone.... You were the glimmer. At the end of the tunnel. And you went out.

An all-pervasive fear of the future and a guilty pleasure in the excesses of the present drive Mike Bartlett's epic rollercoaster of a play from 1968 to 2525 and back again.

Earthquakes in London includes burlesque strip shows, bad dreams, social breakdown, population explosion, worldwide paranoia. It is a fast and furious metropolitan crash of people, scenes and decades, as three sisters attempt to navigate their dislocated lives and loves, while their dysfunctional father, a brilliant scientist, predicts global catastrophe.

Mike Bartlett's contemporary and directed dialogue combines a strong sense of humanity with epic ambition, as well as finely-aimed shafts of political comment embedded effortlessly into every scene. Earthquakes in London represents modern playwriting at its most exciting and ambitious.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2010

About the author

Michael Bartlett is a British playwright. Mike Bartlett was born on 7 October 1980 in Abingdon, Oxford, England. He attended Abingdon School, then studied English and Theatre Studies at the University of Leeds. In October 2013, Mike won Best New Play at The National Theatre Awards for his play Bull, beating plays from both Alan Ayckbourn and Tom Wells.

(source)

Reviews

[Inci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing play! I don't think I've read anything quite like it before. The transitions, especially, were very interesting. With its messages and creativity and how everything is held together, it's definitely worth a read.

[Tuti · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there's no doubting Bartlett's unfettered imagination and his courage in attempting this huge phantasmagorical epic, not everything worked for me in it; most problematic was the entirety of the 5th act, jumping between modern London and an imagined 2525. Perhaps it plays much better than it reads, but given the enormity of the expense and cast involved in its production, doubtful I will ever be able to see one to tell.

[Jordan Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting play. Many layers of meaning, very clever, and could be discussed for hours. I like the idea of an ‘epic’ play. This play is long with many characters and many characters on stage at one moment. It is a great way to create a compelling story.
For my theatre class, we are doing a condensed version of this play for our end of year assessment. I’m playing Tom and Dr Tim.
I originally read this so I could get a better understanding of the story and my character.
I love Tom - he is a climate change revolutionist.

Where was I when reading this? Back at school. Had a chill weekend, just worked on my Monash essay. Step mum came back from surgery on her stomach. Went to my mates house and had tea, had a boys night. We are working on our play in Theatre, which is pretty fun.

I dedicate this reflection to anyone who does anything in their power to fight against climate change and save our world. The future starts now. Great work.

[Lydia Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in preparation for my Third Year University Course on Tragedy. Again, I’m finding the vast majority of these plays to be beyond my frail intellect. They seem a little to lofty and abstract for me. That being said, I much preferred this one to many of the others, as I could easily follow the story, and appreciated being able to recognise the characters from their identifiable tropes. Moreover, the play’s concern with navigating the complex facets of womanhood, as well as coming to terms with the urgency of the climate crisis, made it all the more engaging for me, as a young woman trying to envision a life for herself in a world where there is no future certainty. I am excited to learn more about all of these texts from my tutors, and to consider their difference from the Classic and Shakespearean tragic dramas I have encountered and come to love. Perhaps soon I will be snow to say the same for contemporary plays.

[Zoe Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in one sitting, and it absolutely floored me. Formally it was a dreamscape; the interlocking plot lines came together very beautifully. The sense of cosmic regeneration and hope in Grace’s speech moved me to tears, and the frequent aposiopesis speaks to the fracturing of relationships, of pace, of nobody listening to each other - which is precisely the point. The characters were imperfect, believable and deeply relatable even if none were likeable. The whole play explores the most selfish parts of ourselves, and the way we fail to prioritise, and defer, responsibility. The Cambridge beginning and time-hopping was to my liking too…

[Charlie Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Not Bartlett's best work, but definitely formally innovative. It's certainly ambitious but I don't think everything pays off, and many of the characters, though they have depth, aren't really that likeable. This is what happens when a particular message is valued over the entertainment factor. There's no doubt climate change is a difficult subject to dramatise but this could have been a better play. Bartlett is definitely one of the greats but this play isn't. I think Artefact, Bull, and Cock are much stronger works.

[Evie K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for college, and I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but it was amazing. Talks about so many relevant topics especially in today’s society. I would say this is a must read for everyone, even though the facts aren’t 100% true, it is still relevant and can get everyone thinking on how to help the planet before it is too late!

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a confusing read, probably translates better on stage. I did enjoy it though.

[jay daniells · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jess Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complete whirlwind, brilliantly written with amazing interweaving scenes.

[Loo Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

would LOVE to see this live omg

[Kayleigh Marie Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really don't like this play (I have only read it though, I'm sure it's different to watch). I found it really pretentious and thought that it was all over the place. Then again, I'm not a very arty person and am severely lacking in sophistication! Bartlett is undoubtedly a superior writer to me and I wish I had an appreciation for his style, but it's not for me.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three sisters and a number of other seemingly unrelated characters are each dealing with their own lives and issues that affect them. The plot brings them together. Thought provoking.

[Elizabeth Hipwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for audition and retread a few more times because of being cast as an understudy. Lots of layers that reveal themselves with each reading.