Kyoto: Climate Negotiations Made Fun

By Frank Scheck

★★★★★ Stephen Kunken beautifully performs the lead function on this thrilling drama concerning the negotiations behind an historic local weather accord

If somebody had advised me that one of the vital thrilling performs in current reminiscence would revolve round such arguments as whether or not the phrase “would” or “could” was extra acceptable and have dialogue on the order of “We object to that missing preposition!” I’d have mentioned they have been daft. But that was earlier than I noticed Kyoto, now receiving its American premiere at Lincoln Center. Depicting the tense negotiations throughout a decade-long sequence of local weather conferences culminating with the titular 1997 occasion that resulted in an historic worldwide settlement to restrict greenhouse gasoline emissions, the brand new drama by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson (additionally answerable for the equally gripping The Jungle), proves probably the most thrilling political thriller since Oslo.

Like that play concerning the Oslo Accords, this manufacturing threatens to overwhelm viewers members with countless reams of technical exposition. And to a point, it does. Running two hours and 45 minutes, the dense night that includes a great deal of local weather jargon and dozens of characters calls for strict consideration. But it amply rewards that spotlight, due to the witty writing and propulsive staging by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin.

[Read Michael Sommers’ ★★★☆☆ review here.]

One of the play’s canniest components is the usage of the real-life lawyer/lobbyist Don Pearlman as narrator. Drawing us into the story with a prolonged monologue about how our world is coming aside as a result of offended divisions, he’s humorous and relatable, particularly as beautifully performed by Stephen Kunken (one of some actors repeating their roles from the British manufacturing). He’s additionally, as we finally study, the true villain of the piece, doing his finest efforts on behalf of “The Seven Sisters,” the world’s main oil corporations, to scuttle any agreements that may constrain their relentless quest for income. You end up rooting towards him at each flip, however, like Richard III at his most devious, he’s quite a lot of enjoyable to observe. And, it’s solely honest to say, he makes some superb factors. Even if he does taunt us on the finish of Act I by asserting, “Intermission drinks will be provided by the Koch Brothers.”

The immersive staging helps to extra totally draw you into the esoteric proceedings. You’re handed delegate badges to put on as you enter the theater, and several other fortunate viewers members get to sit down subsequent to the actors on the massive spherical convention desk that types the first factor of Miriam Beuther’s set design, together with the putting and informative visible projections by Akhila Krishnan.

As the delegates from such international locations because the United States, China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Tanzania, and the small island nation of Kiribati convene for a sequence of local weather conferences, they vigorously debate the proposed verbiage for an settlement, demonstrating the ability of language to each obfuscate and illuminate. We’re additionally launched to a memorable sequence of characters, together with the no-nonsense German, Angela Merkel (Erin Darke, nailing the officiousness); the blustery Brit, John Prescott (a really humorous Ferdy Roberts); and the pragmatic American rep, a composite (Kate Burton). The most memorable, and finally tragic, determine proves to be Raul Estrada-Oyuela, the jovial Argentine diplomat (Jorge Bosch, terrific) who chairs the Kyoto convention and makes use of all of his wiles to bully the delegates into submission.

There’s additionally Pearlman’s loving however beleaguered spouse, Shirley (Natalie Gold), who watches helplessly as her husband does his finest to scuttle the proceedings, ceaselessly utilizing the Saudi Arabian delegate (Dariush Kashani), with whom he’s in cahoots, to attain his ends.

It all performs like a darkly comedic thriller, displaying us how the diplomatic sausage is made that finally impacts our very existence on the planet. Although there are occasional longueurs and scenes that really feel extra convoluted than mandatory, the manufacturing proves so energetic and fast-paced that they don’t matter. This is the kind of night by which one of the vital thrilling scenes options nothing greater than two characters shouting adjectives at one another in a kind of linguistic duel to the dying.

If all of that sounds too esoteric for you, did I point out that Kyoto additionally encompasses a falling chandelier? Phantom of the Opera has nothing on this improbably thrilling play.

Kyoto opened November 3, 2025, on the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater and runs by way of November 30. Tickets and data: lct.org