Read the rehearsal extract

Freya, the director, asks the cast to make soil visible to the audience. Nathan plays a clay particle: he stands close to the other particles and cups his hands to show that tiny spaces can hold water. Finn plays a pore: he makes a gap between the performers and explains that pores may contain air or water. Plant roots need air to respire and water to absorb. Another actor plays humus, the dark, decomposed remains of plants and animals. Humus adds nutrients and can improve soil structure. The cast then shows rain entering the soil: water moves through pores, some is held between particles, and some drains deeper. Freya reminds everyone to include tiny rock-like grains, decomposed remains, and spaces that can hold rainwater or air.