Written by Kitty Kong, Told by an Idiot General Manager

“What would it be like at the end of the world? How would I feel in the last moment of my life?” These are questions that haunted me when I was younger. These days, with extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and disappearing ecosystems, that once-distant idea feels disturbingly close. It shouldn’t be hard to picture a wounded Earth anymore. Still, when I first heard the story of cockroaches inheriting the planet in a post-apocalyptic future, I was intrigued and it was the story plot of The Intrusion, a playful yet thought-provoking production we co-created with Bric à Brac as part of our Associate Company Programme.

When Told by an Idiot reached its 30th anniversary, we felt a strong sense of responsibility —not just to reflect on our own journey, but to support the next generation of theatremakers. That’s why we launched our Associate Company Programme: a platform to share knowledge, resources, and space with emerging artists. We chose the climate emergency as the central theme, because what better topic to hand to the next generation than the future itself? Among the many exceptional companies we met, Bric à Brac—a young company founded by a group of female theatremakers—stood out and became our Associate Company. Bric à Brac members met during their training at Lecoq and have since been creating work that tackles social issues with physicality, humour, and inspiring ideas. Their works resonates deeply with one of Told by an Idiot’s values — to find laughter in unlikely places.

We decided to take on a new challenge in creating The Intrusion: to meet the Intermediate Standard of the Theatre Green Book. After all, if we were creating a show that speaks to the climate emergency, we had to ensure the process itself didn’t add to the problem. To meet the Intermediate standard, at least 60% of our materials needed to have had a previous life, and 70% had to be suitable for reuse in future productions. These numbers weren’t just targets—they became creative prompts that inspired us to think differently, work resourcefully, and collaborate more deeply across departments.

There was a new challenge for me too: I was appointed as the Sustainability Lead—someone responsible for tracking, guiding, and supporting the show’s sustainability efforts across the team! Although I had some producing experience in Hong Kong, sustainability in theatre was a new concept to me. Environmental concerns weren’t something we actively considered in our production processes in Hong Kong. I used to feel a lot of guilt every time we threw out materials after a show. I often joked that we would need to become trees in our next life to make up for all the waste!

Since joining Told by an Idiot as General Manager, I’ve taken part in Carbon Literacy Training through the Carbon Literacy Project and helped draft TBAI’s Green Policy, which we now share with partners. But even with that background, leading the team to achieve the Theatre Green Book felt overwhelming. That felt like a huge leap. Still, the idea of doing something I love—without carrying the guilt of harming the planet— encouraged me to try. Thankfully, our Production Manager, Sophie Slater, who also serves as the Green Champion at Leeds Playhouse, has been an incredible support throughout the process.

Our green journey started with the first production meeting, all offstage team members (that is how we refer to the creative team at TBAI!) were introduced to our goal of aligning with the Theatre Green Book. Right away, we faced a significant challenge: The Intrusion is a devised piece, and we had only two months from pre-production to performance. With such a tight timeline, designing the stage was already ambitious — let alone embedding sustainability throughout the process. To meet this challenge, we agreed on a few guiding principles. First, we would prioritise sourcing props and costumes from our own storage or borrow from other theatre companies. The designer visited the storage in early stages, identifying suitable pieces and made any relevant alterations.

Second, we committed to avoiding the use of any perishable materials. However, during the devising process, the team made a creative decision: at the beginning of the show, we would invite the audience to write down their thoughts on what they would do at the end of the world—on a piece of paper. This, of course, meant introducing a disposable item into the performance. One can easily opt for recycled paper to reduce the environmental impact of the choice. The first time I saw the paper handed out to the audience, I noticed some small dots on it. I assumed they were remnants from the recycling process. But then came one of the show’s most delightful surprises: the paper was PLANTABLE! Yes—audience members could take it home, plant it in soil, and watch it grow into a plant. These seed-embedded paper have demonstrated that sustainable theatre doesn’t have to limit creativity—it can, in fact, spark it.

As a touring performance, our carbon footprint was a major consideration. We carefully planned the tour schedule with venue locations in mind, aiming to minimise travel between stops. The entire team travelled together with the set in a single van, significantly reducing emissions. I have to say—those van trips were genuinely fun. We shared snacks, sang songs, had great conversations, while we were contributing to a more sustainable way of working at the same time!

 Theatre Green Book documentation is very comprehensive and it took a team to complete. We had to record the material and weight of each item, and I quickly realised I didn’t always have the knowledge or information to provide accurate answers. Fortunately, the team was incredibly supportive. They shared their expertise and guided me through the process, ensuring I gained a thorough understanding—not just to complete the task this time, but to empower me for future encounters with the Green Book.

 

Our results

We successfully achieved our Theatre Green Book target of Intermediate Standard for this production. Notably, 69% of the set and scenery and 68% of the props and furniture were sourced from reused materials—both exceeding the 60% target. Costume reuse reached 47%, falling short of the target due to limited time for making and sourcing costumes. Overall, 66% of the materials used in the production came from reused material, surpassing the 60% benchmark.

In terms of the destination of production items:

• 83% of the costume was either returned or stored,
• 100% of the sets and scenery as well as 100% of the props and furniture were either reused or stored.

This resulted in 98% of all materials having a second life—well above the 70% target.

Soon after the tour began, we recognised the strong potential for re-running the production for youth audiences. Not only did the piece raise awareness about climate change, but it also explored the tension between greed and sacrifice—and, most importantly, it offered a message of hope in the face of despair. With this vision in mind, we made the decision to preserve as much of the production material as possible, ensuring it could be reused in future performances.

Learning to take forward:

• Equip the team with Carbon Literacy Training

We invited a member of Bric à Brac to join our training, and held a Green Book / Carbon Literacy meeting with the wider team. it is always preferable if all active creative members can acquaint with the Green Book requirements

• Plan ahead

Sourcing sustainable production materials required both time and budget. The earlier we began planning, the more resources we could access and the more sustainable options we could incorporate

• Maintain Open Communications

As this was a devised performance, changes were inevitable throughout the process. Keeping everyone informed was essential. We used Google Drive to store and update the Green Book documentation, allowing the whole team to track progress and assess how new decisions might impact our sustainability goals

• Leave more buffer at the end

At the beginning of the production process, we aimed for the highest possible sustainability standards. This proactive approach gave us a valuable cushion. As the performance date approached and time became tight, we inevitably had to make quick decisions. Because we had already made strong sustainable choices early on, we had the flexibility to make compromises—if absolutely necessary—without significantly undermining our overall environmental goals.

• Be creative

Committing to the Green Book targets shouldn’t be seen as a limitation on artistic expression. In fact, it can be a catalyst for innovation. Our decision to avoid perishable props didn’t stop us from handing out paper to the audience. Instead of compromising, we explored alternatives and discovered plantable paper, which aligned beautifully with both our artistic vision and sustainability goals. This experience reminded us that environmental responsibility can drive creativity, not hinder it.

Our journey with The Intrusion has been more than a production—it’s been a transformation. From the moment we set out to meet the Theatre Green Book’s Intermediate Standard, we knew we were taking on a challenge. But what we discovered along the way was far more rewarding than we imagined. We found joy in shared van rides, flexibility in the face of tight deadlines, and creativity in the constraints of sustainability. We turned a potential compromise—handing out paper to the audience—into one of the show’s most delightful surprises: plantable paper, a symbol of the idea we have sown and the growth we have experienced throughout the journey.

As someone who once joked about becoming a tree to make up for past waste, I now feel empowered by the knowledge and support of a team that believes in doing things differently. We’ve proven that theatre can be bold, beautiful, and kind to the planet—all at once.