Photo: Olivia Sebesky
This is a concert, a play, a church with call and response, and an uproar. It is a multi-media production of “Science Rap, the final frontier.” Baba Brinkman raps about the history of our planet’s climate, how we are changing it, and how to confront that change and reverse the outcome. This is not preachy; this is theatre – funny, surprising, and smart. I mean smart! Baba’s knowledge of the subject has taken him to Paris to perform for the national delegates at the Climate Conference, “and to capture its relevance.” So yeah…smart.
On stage is Baba, a mic, mic stand, and large screen.
On the screen images of storms, tornados, hurricanes, smashed with charts and tables and text, and more images of what happens if we continue on this trajectory.
On your playbill are the raps listed as chapters, they are numbered, titled and contain a quick blurb about that “chapter,” so later when your head is spinning you can review what he talked about, Google it and discover more. He wants you to get informed and get active. This is not an Al Gore climate talk, this is cool climate rap delivered to you by Baba, the epitome of cool nerd.
The Soho Playhouse is an intimate space – one of my favorites in the city – and Baba uses that to his advantage, getting close to us, sitting on the edge of the stage, stepping off it and joining us, sharing it all with us. We share the night with him, because we share the problem with him and he wants us to now share the solution.
He turns the houselights on at one point to ask the audience if there is anything he’s missed. Hands went up, quick discussions ensued, then an improvised rap on the questions and thoughts.
How lucky we are to live in a city that brings artists like Baba Brinkmann to perform and inform. So take a friend who is a skeptic, one who’s not, several who care and several who don’t. Take as many as you can. Grab a drink before the show at the bar downstairs, then head upstairs with drink in hand and be prepared for 80 minutes of the concert, the theatre, the church, the uproar.
Rap Guide To Climate Chaos
February 25th, 2016 – April 24th, 2016 Wed – Sunday
www.sohoplayhouse.com
Running time 80 minutes
(Recommended for High School and College students and as a students you can purchase tickets for $20 upon presenting your student ID to the box office. You will have to go to the Soho Playhouse to purchase the ticket. They are not redeemable online.)
