Transition Culture

11 Jul 2007

A Peak Oil Play.

BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting a play on Friday evening all about peak oil, called **Second to Midnight**. The use of drama and storytelling to explore issues around peak oil and climate change is one that regular readers of Transition Culture will know is of great interest to me, and has taken form in the Transition Tales initiative, an element of Transition Town Totnes. I will be interesting to hear how the BBC handles this story. It looks from the blurb (see below) that it will be a bit like the film Syriana, but set in Africa, but do tune in, we can share our thoughts on it afterwards. You’ll be able to listen to it on the BBC website.

**Friday Play – Second To Midnight**
**Friday 13 July**
9.00-10.00pm BBC RADIO 4

Western governments, oil companies and business analysts have long predicted that the “peak”, when oil reserves become finite and the markets begin to panic, is as far away as 2030. However, Rob Turner, oil company geologist, has just uncovered that the peak is not tomorrow. It was yesterday.

In his private life, Rob had a secret affair a few years ago with Geraldine, the wife of a good friend, Henry – the Deputy British Ambassador in Nigeria. Liz, Rob’s wife, never found out but his daughter, Helen, did. It damaged the relationship between father and daughter for good and is still a source of unspoken conflict for them. Liz and Rob are in the middle of an argument when Henry rings from Lagos. Helen has been killed in a car crash in the Nigerian Delta.

Rob travels to Nigeria to bring Helen’s body back, but discovers there is no body and the facts surrounding Helen’s accident don’t seem to add up. And there are more surprises. Unbeknown to her parents, Helen recently married Kolo Djouba – an environmental activist and chair of the Ogoni people’s liberation front.

Second To Midnight is written by Andy Walker and Chris Reason.

Producers/Susan Roberts and Gary Brown