Climate anxiety play finds love in the floodwater

A new radio play based on University of Reading research about extreme weather and flooding will air on BBC Radio 4 next week.

Chloe’s Ark is a romantic comedy based on research about how people prepare for and respond to climate risks. 

Professor Hannah Cloke, from the University of Reading’s Department of Meteorology and Department of Geography and Environmental Science, was an adviser to the writer and producers of the 45-minute drama. 

The story has its roots in two peer-reviewed research studies, carried out by University of Reading academics and published in academic journals, about preparation for disasters and the health impacts of flooding.

“More people are feeling anxious about climate change as the world gets warmer and extreme weather becomes more frequent,” Professor Cloke said. 

“Chloe’s Ark explores the importance of imagination in how people keep themselves safe from floods, as well as the lasting impacts of being flooded.

“We often hear about flood disasters on the news, but it’s important to think about climate risks without resorting to doom and gloom, which can leave people feeling powerless. This play raises issues about responding to extreme weather, while also raising a smile.”

The play, written by Leanne Allen, was developed through the ‘Experimental Stories’ scheme run by OKRE (Opening Knowledge across Research & Entertainment) in collaboration with Wellcome and the BBC. Teams of writers, producers and academics were brought together to come up with an idea for a play and pitch it for commissioning by Radio 4 drama. The successful pitches were chosen in January 2024.

The play stars Amy Trigg as Brooke and Harmony Rose-Bremner as Chloe, who take an Old Testament approach to the threat of a modern-day flood.

Chloe’s Ark will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 2.15pm on Wednesday 20 November, and online via BBC Sounds.

References: 

Ommer, J., Neumann, J., Kalas, M., Blackburn, S., and Cloke, H. L.: Surprise floods: the role of our imagination in preparing for disasters, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 24 (8). pp. 2633-2646. ISSN: 1684-9981 doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-2633-2024

Mehring, P., Geoghegan, H., Cloke, H. L., & Clark, J. M. (2023). The F word: The experiential construction of flooding in England. Emotion, Space and Society, 48, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2023.100966

Image: Jessica Dromgoole - producer; Leanne Allen - writer; & Hannah Cloke at the pitching event in January 2024 at Wellcome.