The Ticking Clock | Theiya Arts

Our dance production 'The Ticking Clock' was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.

We decided to use as little printed resources for this production as possible in an attempt to help reduce the paper waste produced during the Festivals in Edinburgh and to contribute to sustainable artistic practices in the delivery of our production. This also gives us the opportunity to share much more information about the making of this project and also make avaliable for you a list of resources so that together, we can all #actintime.

About the show

The Ticking Clock is a South Asian contemporary-classical dance performance that centres on the urgency of climate change. This performance is supported by Climateclock.world and is inspired by their Climate Clock installation located in Times Square, New York that illustrates the time remaining before climate change becomes irreversible. Using the countdown as the main driver for the performance and drawing from the movement archives of elements traditionally used in South Asian classical dance forms to depict nature, the performers will submerge the audience in an introspective recount of how humankind's relationship with the environment has changed over time. The practices depicted and explored in the choreography have emerged from a process of research and development where the artists immersed themselves in exploring their own cultural, historical and personal relationships to the natural world.

This production is a collaboration between three Edinburgh based organisations - Theiya Arts, Agnya Movement and Tharanga Dance, who together form the Theiya Arts Dance Collective. The Development of this project was supported by The Work Room, Glasgow and The National theatre of Scotland through their Discover residencies.

A note from the artists:

This piece is not an attempt to answer the complex question of how to solve the climate crisis, it does not impart judgment on human behaviour or pretend to come to conclusions on the reasons behind the current crisis. Instead, it is an effort to contribute to the ongoing conversation on climate change and Climate Action from an artistic perspective.

The result of this blend is a unique but unpretentious audio-visual experience not to be missed. The Ticking Clock will captivate your attention through the passion of these local artists and their desire to contribute to the much-needed conversation on the urgency of the current climate emergency.

Cast and Credits

Principal Choreographer

Karen Watts

Performance & Choreography

Tharanga Wicramasinghe

Performance & Choreography

Gaby Albornoz

Performance & Choreography

Nandini Manjunath

Marketing & Communications

Production

Artistic Direction

Props Design

Choreography & Production

Annu Poojari

Sound compilation and Mastering

Tabla

Manav Singh

Himadri Madan

Audio credits:
'Tibetan Singin bowl' audio by Anthony Tillota
'Morning in the forest' & 'Revered Forest' by Taufiq Kureshi
'Nature Soundscape' – BurghRecords
'Lalita Lavanga and Sadho' by Anil Srinivisan and Sikkil Gurucharan

Other credits:

Movement inspired by 'Vrikshanjali' a choreography by Rama Vaidyanathan, and 'Sakhiye Varnam', a composition from the Tanjore Quartet.

Resource guide to #actintime

There are many organisations, campaigns and individuals working actively towards a sustainable future. Sometimes the information about climate change and climate activism can be overwhelming. But the following list gives you a flexible yet wider choice of resources to get started or continue your efforts within the capacity available for you at the moment. Whether you choose to wean into waste free shopping, sign an online petition, follow a podcast, watch a documentary to educate yourself and your closer community about climate activism, all these individual efforts contribute towards a collective action. Let us all come together to #ActInTime.

Global organisations:

'We are in a Climate Emergency. Decades of increasing carbon emissions are harming the natural and societal systems upon which humanity depends, threatening untold ecological and human devastation if we do not #ActInTime.

The good news: there is still time. Backed by the latest science, the Climate Clock tells us what we must do, by when.

The Deadline and Lifelines on the Climate Clock make explicit the speed and scope of action that political leaders must take in order to limit the worst climate impacts'…. Visit https://climateclock.world/science to find out more.

'Since 1987, Conservation International has worked to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity.'

Update yourself of their global actions through their channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ConservationInternational

Learn more about banks funding fossil fuel: www.bankingonclimatechaos.org & www.banktrack.org

Learn about how banks are financing the climate crisis and what we can do about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCsdwg4OCjU

'Friends of the Earth International is the world’s largest grassroots environmental federation with 73 national member groups and millions of members and supporters around the world. Our vision is of a peaceful and sustainable world based on societies living in harmony with nature.'

'Earthly Education is a platform that aims to inform, educate and equip everyone with the tools and knowledge needed to reverse the decline of the natural world. We are working towards changing society to embrace ecological regeneration and collective healing.'

Access their resources via https://linktr.ee/earthlyeducation

Global petitions:

UK based Organisations:

In a mission to end fossil fuel by replacing it with green electricity and green gas. Follow their channel https://www.youtube.com/c/ecotricity for short videos on related work.

'We are part of an international community dedicated to protecting the natural world and the wellbeing of everyone in it. We lead campaigns, provide resources and information, and drive real solutions to the environmental problems facing us all.'

'The #StopCambo campaign is made up of individuals, grassroots groups and organisations across Scotland, the rest of the UK and the world who are dedicated to ending all new oil and gas extraction and bringing existing production within safe climate limits.'

Uk based petitions:

Scotland based Organisations:

'We are Scotland's leading environmental campaigning charity. Join to help us fight for climate justice'

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/foescotland/

A social enterprise based in Edinburgh. Their mission is to end waste, end pollution, and protect our planet for future generations. Located at Ocean Terminal in the North of Edinburgh where they host creative and educational workshops around sustainability, and repair and refurbish old electronics, such as laptops and phones, to prevent these from going to waste. If you're after a refurbished laptop or computer, they also sell these from their shop! They also run a number of projects aimed at supporting people in need in their communities - either by giving them free laptops to overcome digital poverty, or by running free, confidence and skill-building workshops for disadvantaged groups. Follow them on social media platforms for more details!

A cooperative based in Edinburgh who are working for a world without waste and empower local communities to live a low carbon life. https://www.facebook.com/ZeroWasteEdinburgh/ https://www.shrubcoop.org/working-groups/food-sharing-hub/

A non-profit Social Enterprise based in East Lothian.We are all about REUSE; keeping good things in local circulation, rather than landfill. https://www.facebook.com/zerowastethebigpick

The Edinburgh Scrap Store is a unique resource, where scrap materials are donated, stored, collected by members and re-used in an infinite number of ways helping the local community to reduce, reuse and recycle.

A creative recycling social justice enterprise who run Dundee’s only ScrapStore. Whilst here for everyone, we prioritise working with local people who are marginalised, seeking to bring the joy and positive impact of imagination, creativity and Play to the whole community. We are a diverse team of artists, creatives, volunteers, teachers, community workers, play workers and youth workers – all guided by our passion for social justice. Sustainability and equality are at the heart of everything we do – supporting the needs of our community, ensuring all voices are heard and putting people before profit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3c6nhSGiT8

Zero Waste shopping Options in and around Edinburgh:

The Good Store - Sustainable shopping made easy!
Locavore - Veg box delivery and shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow
The Refillery -Plastic free grocery and ethical goods store
Weigh to Go - another plastic free shop located in Leith, Edinburgh
Elephant Refills - Doorstep refill service to make it easy to reuse rather than recycle plastic, cover the area of Blackhall, Davidson’s Mains, Silverknowes and Cramond.
East Coast Organics - Sustainable doorstep delivery of organic produce
Bambú Living - offer healthy, organic and local products, in bulk and package-free to help live a more sustainable life, leaving the planet cleaner for future generations.
Mcqueens Dairies - get your milk delivered in glass bottles and reduce plastic waste.
Who Gives a Crap Toilet Paper - While delivering plastic free toilet paper they also donate 50% of their profits to ensure everyone has access to clean water and a toilet within their lifetime.