Richard Bean’s new black comedy The Heretic dares to question whether the science is settled.

The study of climate science is the cool degree at the university where Dr Diane Cassell is a lead academic in Earth Sciences. At odds with the orthodoxy over man-made climate change, she finds herself increasingly vilified and is forced to ask if the issue is political as well as personal. Could the belief in anthropogenic global warming be the most attractive religion of the 21st century?

Prior to The Heretic, Bean’s last play at the Royal Court was Harvest in 2005. His previous plays at the Royal Court include Toast, Honeymoon Suite and Under The Whaleback. His recent work elsewhere includes The Big Fellah for Out of Joint at the Lyric Hammersmith, England People Very Nice at the National Theatre, The English Game on tour and In the Club at Hampstead Theatre.

For more about The Heretic at the Royal Court read the First Night Feature.