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How Theatre Can Spark Change: A Conversation with Patch Plays

Updated: Nov 16, 2024

In a world where many of us encounter issues like climate change, animal ethics, and activism, finding innovative ways to communicate these urgent messages is key. Theatre, an art form steeped in empathy, storytelling, and communal experience, offers a unique way to engage people. In a recent episode of The Performing Animal Rights Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with two inspiring creatives who are leading this charge in the theatre world: Anastasia Bunce, Artistic Director of Patch Plays, and playwright and musician Grace Joy Howarth.



Anastasia and Grace shared insights into their journey of making theatre that addresses veganism, animal rights, and environmental issues. Patch Plays, founded in the wake of Anastasia’s early passion for both theatre and veganism, has blossomed into a theatre company with a specific focus on these causes. Originally, Patch Plays began with a “scratch night,” where vegan creatives gathered to present short pieces, aiming to foster community and explore fresh ideas. This small but powerful beginning laid the foundation for a theatre company that challenges norms and raises awareness through the arts.


Patch Plays now regularly collaborates with vegan artists and reaches both vegan and non-vegan audiences, pushing the boundaries of traditional theatre to inspire thought and action. Grace’s play, Blood on Your Hands (Southwark Playhouse, 2024), powerfully confronts themes of exploitation within the slaughterhouse industry, exploring class and gender issues through the lens of human and animal suffering. In our conversation, Grace described her process of capturing the brutal reality of the slaughterhouse environment, balancing it with a narrative that appeals to both vegans and non-vegans.


One of the significant challenges they discussed was finding ways to convey difficult topics—such as animal exploitation—without alienating audiences. Grace shared that her aim isn’t simply to preach to the converted; rather, her work seeks to plant seeds of awareness in those who may never have considered these issues before. By interweaving complex themes of oppression and exploitation, Blood on Your Hands brings audiences face-to-face with the systemic abuses affecting both humans and nonhuman animals.


Southwark Playhouse (Feb, 2024)

Anastasia and Grace both reflected on the value of creating a theatre community that supports activism. Their ultimate hope is to expand this network and bring nonhuman animal rights-themed theatre to more prominent stages. A long-term goal for Patch Plays is to establish a dedicated space where animal rights theatre can flourish, inspiring others to develop works that further promote awareness and empathy. They also see potential in adapting theatre pieces for film and TV, reaching audiences who may not otherwise attend a live production.


For those interested in combining creativity with activism, Anastasia and Grace offered practical advice: start with what you have, look for scratch nights and new writing programmes, and connect with others who share your passions. They stressed the importance of self-producing, even if it involves learning new skills, as this can enable artists to retain creative control over their message.


As our conversation concluded, one theme was clear: in the world of activism, theatre has a powerful role to play. Art can bridge gaps, spark empathy, and inspire change, sometimes in ways that traditional forms of activism cannot. In a time when animal ethics and environmental issues need more visibility, theatre offers a unique platform for these urgent conversations.


For more insights from this conversation and to discover the work of Anastasia and Grace, check out The Performing Animal Rights Podcast. Find out more about Patch Plays at patchplays.com, and connect with Grace and Anastasia on their personal websites, gracejoyhowarth.com and anastasiabunce.com.

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©2024 by The Performing Arts in Animal Rights Archive

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