Generative Disruptions: Ecological Activism and Theatrical Unpredictability Within Extinction Rebellion's Protests
Joshua Lewis
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JOSHUA LEWIS is a Ph.D. candidate at The Ohio State University, where his research focuses on theatre for social change, political theatre, the performance of protests, and eco-dramaturgy. During the 2025-2026 academic year, he will serve as the co-chair of the Earth Matters on Stage Festival. The festival, which features both a playwriting competition and symposium, explores our complex relationship with the environment and how the performing arts can be employed to address historical and ongoing ecological issues. Before attending The Ohio State University, Josh earned his M.A. in theatre from the University of Oregon and his B.A. in theatre from the University of Alaska Anchorage. In addition to his work in theatre, he is also interested in writing for film and television.
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Abstract
This article examines a protest by the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion during a 2024 Broadway performance of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. The demonstration was intended to amplify the play's message, which is often considered one of the first environmentally conscious dramas, to help bring attention to the current climate crisis. This article argues that Extinction Rebellion's intentionally theatrical protests are influenced by other theatre-related advocacy groups, such as Richard Schechner's Broadway Action Group and Larry Kramer's ACT UP. Additionally, it considers theories on the performative elements of protests, namely Susan Leigh Foster's article "Choreographies of Protest," to better appreciate Extinction Rebellion's strategies. This analysis of the organization's tactics, in turn, helps to situate their protest of An Enemy of the People within a lineage of other activist performances, like the “die-ins” popularized by ACT UP. In these instances, bodies acted as means for articulating injustices by claiming space, resisting removal, and continuing to speak out even though others attempted to silence them. Although some people may view Extinction Rebellion's protest during a live performance as merely a disruptive act, it can also be seen as a worthwhile intervention because it generated discussions about how theatre and other art forms must do more to remain socially and ecologically conscious.
This article examines a protest by the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion during a 2024 Broadway performance of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. The demonstration was intended to amplify the play's message, which is often considered one of the first environmentally conscious dramas, to help bring attention to the current climate crisis. This article argues that Extinction Rebellion's intentionally theatrical protests are influenced by other theatre-related advocacy groups, such as Richard Schechner's Broadway Action Group and Larry Kramer's ACT UP. Additionally, it considers theories on the performative elements of protests, namely Susan Leigh Foster's article "Choreographies of Protest," to better appreciate Extinction Rebellion's strategies. This analysis of the organization's tactics, in turn, helps to situate their protest of An Enemy of the People within a lineage of other activist performances, like the “die-ins” popularized by ACT UP. In these instances, bodies acted as means for articulating injustices by claiming space, resisting removal, and continuing to speak out even though others attempted to silence them. Although some people may view Extinction Rebellion's protest during a live performance as merely a disruptive act, it can also be seen as a worthwhile intervention because it generated discussions about how theatre and other art forms must do more to remain socially and ecologically conscious.
| etudesdec2025lewis.pdf |
