Last June and July the play ‘All your tears won’t be enough’, a production by Teatro dos Aloés in partnership with the People & Planet project, was on stage at Recreios da Amadora. This play offers a profound reflection on the issue of water scarcity and sustainability.
Right from the start of the play, we are confronted with a fictitious situation which, unfortunately, is no longer as far away as we would like: there is no more drinking water. From there, through a narrative that confronts us with our own relationship with the environment, the play exposes the various factors that contribute to water scarcity, from the breakdown of the natural water cycle and excessive use for personal, industrial and agricultural consumption, to food waste and the water footprint of the products we consume every day.
The theatre play doesn’t just point out the most immediate problems – it also explores the interconnections between water scarcity and the worsening of climate change itself, addressing issues such as deforestation and uncontrolled urbanisation. The destruction of the natural world is thus presented as a factor that not only worsens the availability of water resources, but also makes its consequences more impactful.
At the same time as the narrative reveals the role of human beings in worsening water scarcity, we are also confronted with the severe consequences of the lack of this essential resource. Although it is part of the human desire to ensure access to water by increasing its availability, thus easing the burden on children and women who still have to fetch water from community sources, and making it possible to eliminate diseases spread by the consumption of undrinkable water, by consuming more water than the natural cycle can replenish, this scarcity threatens to bring even more hunger, poverty and increased inequality.
A particularly interesting dimension of the play is the reflection on the internal conflict between the intention to be more sustainable, the inertia to change our habits, and the desire for consumption inherent in living in a materialistic society. In the play, this clash is analysed critically, inviting the audience to reflect on their own choices and behaviours, highlighting the urgent need for individual and collective changes in favour of sustainability. In the end, the audience realises that we don’t have to give up our comfort and quality of life to reduce our impact on the environment: we just need to adjust our practices to find the balance of more responsible consumption.
The play ‘All your tears won’t be enough’ also included young people from Amadora Municipality in its production. By bringing these young people’s reflections to the stage, the show has become an even stronger example of how the arts can be a powerful vehicle for environmental awareness and education. By connecting audiences emotionally with the challenges of sustainability, theatre can inspire real and lasting change. This production not only entertains and sensitises, but also educates and motivates, thus demonstrating that art has a crucial role to play in promoting a more sustainable society.
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People and Planet: A Common Destiny is a pan-European project to mobilise young citizens and local authorities in the fight against climate change. It is funded by the European Union through the DEAR Programme, with co-funding from Camões, I.P., involving 17 organisations (local authorities and CSOs) from 8 EU member states and Cape Verde, under the coordination of Loures City Council. In Portugal, the project is being implemented by a consortium made up of Loures City Council, IMVF, RICD and FUEL.
Photos: Luana Santos / Teatro dos Aloés