Fish in a Kettle, United Kingdom

Fish in a Kettle is an immersive theatre performance exploring how climate change is affecting Liverpool Bay, the River Mersey and the communities who live there. Taking place in Liverpool May 25-30, 2026, it looks at flooding, pollution, and biodiversity loss, and asks how Liverpool’s communities might respond to a changing climate.

At the centre of the performance is the figure of an oracle, an ancient character known for predicting the future. Fish in a Kettle will reimagine this character as a metaphor for numerical modeling, the scientific tool that is used to make predictions. Numerical models are computer simulations that use real-world data to predict future environmental scenarios, such as rising sea levels or increased storm activity. As with the prediction made by an ancient oracle, numerical modeling gives us a version of the future, but human intervention can change its course. The oracle becomes a way to explore how we understand these models, not just through science, but also through imagination and personal experience.

We are working closely with marine scientist Dr Marta Payo Payo from the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool. Her research into coastal resilience helps shape the scientific foundation of the piece. But the performance is not a lecture – it’s a journey also shaped by the voices and ideas of local people. The project is being co-created with three Merseyside-based communities:

• Wild swimmers, who use the water for wellbeing, ritual, and leisure
• Mersey ferry workers, who rely on the river for work and daily life
• Young people, who are constantly being asked to think about their future in uncertain times

These groups are not only sharing their experiences, but will be helping invent characters and build parts of the story. Through a series of creative workshops, they contribute sounds and ideas that will feed directly into the final performance. The aim of Fish in a Kettle is not just to communicate science, but to transform it into a shared, emotional experience.

Immersive theatre breaks the traditional performer-audience relationship by placing audiences into the world of the show. Our show will be made up of several performance “stations,” each offering a different perspective or moment in the story. Audiences will move freely between stations, choosing what to engage with and in what order. Some stations will be quiet and reflective; others will be more theatrical or interactive. The structure invites audiences to experience the material in their own way. These might include video projections, soundscapes, or live performance.

This is not just a climate story. It’s a call to pay attention to how we live with water, how we read the signals of change, and how we might respond with imagination as well as action. We invite audiences to step into the tide, listen to the river’s warnings, and consider: what futures are possible when we let ourselves feel the coming storm?

FOR TICKETS: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/labrats1/2129626

GOALS

• Create a theatrical response to coastal impacts of the climate crisis that reaches a diverse audience
• Engage communities and scientists through creative practices with the impacts of the climate crisis, which gives equal value to lived experience and scientific knowledge
• Create a visceral experience of potential future scenarios based on numerical modeling
• Explore the intersection of entertainment and climate science
• Inspire climate action, behavioral change, and agency in response to ocean issues