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Environmental culture for young minds

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Johan Theodorsson asking the children where the sea cows have gone, while Anders Peev plays the guitar. Photo: Sara Jeswani.

Is there any use in trying to tell children about the environmental threats the world is facing? Definitely, says Johan Theodorsson and Anders Peev, who started the Music Theatre Unna in order to inspire young people to save the world.

Last week I watched their play Skogens hjärta (“The heart of the forest”) together with a group of children at a French preschool here in Stockholm. This time young people meant very young – from 2 up to 7 years of age.
In the story the girl Unna meets trolls and other characters from the Swedish mythology, and together they set out on an adventure to make the environmental monster go back to sleep by singing it a lullaby.

The end of French discipline... Photo: Sara Jeswani.

I was totally absorbed by how the children entered into the story even if it’s told almost without any theatrical props, relying mainly on music instruments, words and and the actors’ own bodies. Suddenly we are in the sea, seeing jelly fish and sea cows swimming by, or in a big dead forest where the children describe all that is missing. The actors throw snowballs made from a melting glacier and the audience bends down.
And when it’s time to make the monster fall asleep, all the children sing at the top of their lungs, before starting to dance uncontrollably  (throwing away the last traces of French discipline that the teachers have tried to maintain during the performance…).

Speaking to Anders Peev afterwards, he explains that the idea behind the performance is to create an emotional link to the news about climate change and environmental degradation that these children will sooner or later meet. To achieve all this, the music (composed and preformed by Anders Peev himself) is an important ingredient, allowing to tell part of the story without using words. And when the feeling is there, the will to know more and to do something about the situation comes naturally. Usually the children also get exercises to do before and after seeing the play.

Anders Peev showing the instruments used in the play, a keyed fiddle in the middle. Photo: Sara Jeswani.

Below is a video presenting the performance – in Swedish, but Anders Peev’s music works in any language, and after 45 seconds you can listen to the traditional Swedish keyed fiddle.

Other interesting sustainability related articles in Swedish media (in Swedish, but can be translated here):
Göteborgs-Posten: The “invisible” cycle helmet is launched
Miljöaktuellt: Leading Swedish scientist: “Sweden’s Foreign Minister must highlight the Arctic issue”
Göteborgs-Posten: A photographer’s love declaration to a river

Sara Jeswani - Sustainability

November 10, 2011