A new comedic play exploring the world of flat-Earthers has found unexpected success by approaching its subject matter with empathy and curiosity.
Started as a joke, the kind of pet project creatives like to bat around as a lark, not thinking it will ever see the light of day. Co-creators Lou Wall, Jean Tong, and James Gales initially hit upon the idea in a cafe brainstorming session around 2019.But then COVID-19 happened, and scores of anxious and housebound people started venturing down internet rabbit holes, looking for an explanation for their new reality. Conspiracy theories, once firmly on the fringes, crashed into the mainstream.
The trio’s frivolous idea had taken on a new dimension.“I think any extended amount of time on the internet can lead to some quite dangerous things, and during that time, there was a lot of polarisation,” Wall says. “But it was interesting because it forced us to write a show that had more nuance and depth than the originalThe show is a maximalist affair, with audiovisual elements, elaborate sound design and pop culture-savvy songs packed with jokes. It tells the story of a digital romance between Flick, a young flat-Earther, and Ria, a “globe-earther” (someone who doesn’t buy into the conspiracy). In researching online flat-Earther groups, Wall was struck by how wholesome they were, allowing once-isolated members of society to find a community. “It’s quite beautiful in a way, but also sad that they have to bond over something completely wacko,” they say.Wall says it was important to approach the flat-Earther community with empathy and curiosity. They see value in “young woke lefties” like themselves trying to understand people with different views from their own. The empathetic tone seems to be paying off. At an early reading, one man was so eager that he arrived at the venue before any of the cast. Wall got talking with him, and it turned out he was a real-life flat-Earther. “We’d been quite explicit that it would be dumb, that it was comedy. But he was really sweet, and he actually loved it, which was kind of excitin
Comedy Culture Technology Flat-Earthers Comedy Conspiracy Theories Online Communities Empathy
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