Assessing the impacts of scientific theatre on the audience: the case of "Crema, Groenlàndia"

We present a co-creation methodology resulting from an interdisciplinary collaboration between artists and scientists in the production of the climate change play, "Crema, Groenlàndia" (Burn, Greenland). The play explains how the science of climate change is done, showing scientists in their real context and breaking stereotypes. It also aims to sensitise and disseminate knowledge on climate change and encourage audience’s critical thinking. Its uniqueness lies in combining climate scientists, social scientists, and performing artists in a co-creative process to construct the narrative and stage of the play. 

Using the Framework for Evaluating Impacts of Informal Science Education Projects (Friedman, 2008), we conducted an impact assessment based on a series of pre- and post-performance surveys targeting secondary school students and members of the general public, which were complemented with insights from a debate following the performances.

A pre-performance survey of secondary school students revealed gaps in understanding and the need to strengthen climate literacy in educational settings. While most students recognised human activity as the main cause of climate change, many showed limited awareness of the scientific consensus, low interest in further learning about climate change and the scientists, and poor familiarity with governance mechanisms, such as the Paris Agreement and the Conference of the Parties. 

Participant feedback collected after a rehearsal performance was used to refine the play, leading to revisions of the script, simplification of technical content, and enhanced use of audiovisual elements to improve clarity and reduce cognitive overload. This illustrates how systematic assessment can directly inform and improve the effectiveness of the science communication practice.

The impacts of the final production were evaluated through a post-performance survey completed by the general public. Audience satisfaction with the play was moderate to high. Participants reported positive learning outcomes, with 80.5% of respondents reporting feeling more informed about climate change after attending the performance. Attitudinal responses reflected high levels of trust in climate science, emotional engagement, and a strong interest in learning about personal and collective actions to address climate change (including different strategies for the reduction of major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, influence on others, and civic activities such as voting). Additional outcomes included the potential of the play to challenge stereotypes about scientists (particularly gendered perceptions) and to foster critical thinking about the lack of ambition of global climate policies and responsibilities.

Overall, the findings demonstrate that, when coupled with iterative impact assessment, arts-based approaches can be an effective way to communicate complex scientific concepts while fostering audience’s engagement and reflection.