New musical on Greenpeace’s 1995 occupation of oil rig comes to Fife theatre

Sleeping Warrior Theatre Company brings To Save The Sea - vibrant, sung through musical - to the Byre Theatre, St Andrews, on Friday, October 18

It comes from Isla Cowan and Andy McGregor, and is about a group of dedicated Greenpeace activists who, in 1995, took on oil giants Shell when they occupied their Brent Spar oil store in the middle of the North Sea for three weeks.

To Save The Sea has everything you need in a musical – from dramatic real life events to entertaining interludes, there are good stories as well as good tunes. There are vibrant characters, battles, celebrations, giant water cannons and unexpected explosions. Heart-breaking ballads, outrageous villains, rock music and even comedic cabaret songs featuring a surprisingly sexy John Major.

This environmental and history making story of people power is told by a stellar cast of eight bringing together a great mix of musical theatre stalwarts and graduates fresh from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Looking for inspiration during lockdown, Andy searched for a new writing partner on Twitter and found Isla. Her interest in eco-drama had led her to the story of the Brent Spar and, without ever meeting one another in real life, the duo completed a first draft of the show. Fast forward four years, and many drafts later, and the show is ready to hit the stage.

Andy said: “This is a unique show, unlike anything Scotland has seen before, and we are very excited to be bringing it to life before touring all over the country”.

Isla added: “When I first came across the story of the Brent Spar, I was struck by how dramatic and theatrical and epic the real-life events of this protest were – it just had to be made into a show!

The story of the Brent Spar is a story for today – it speaks to our current concerns over oil and the environment, but – most importantly – shows how normal people really can make a difference when they stand up for what they believe in.”

To Save The Sea is touring to 12 venues across Scotland in 2024.