A universe of stars glisten in the night sky, shimmering over a field of young festivalgoers. They drink, they dance, they tell stories – of their births, lives and one day, their imagined deaths. One was born so big the doctors’ were taking bets on his weight, another popped out in the back of a taxi. One dreams of the Oscars, another just wants one more trip on that death-defying speedboat and yet another asks, when this is over, what will have changed, really?

When This is Over was created during the Covid-19 lockdowns as part of a collaboration with leading youth theatre Company Three and 15 other young companies across the UK.

Over the course of six months a group of eleven 14-17 year olds from the Octagon Theatre co-created their version of When This is Over, drawing on lived experience and their own imaginations to envisage their births, lives and deaths, in the context of an uncertain future. The 16 shows were designed to be performed during COP-26 climate summit in Glasgow, to encourage decision-makers to consider the future they are handing down to the next generation.

When This is Over was performed at the Octagon Studio and the overall project won Community Project of the Year at The Stage Awards.