Hello! I’m Andrew and I will be your Green Man for this Beltane!

You might know me from previous roles such as Beastie, Red, or Giant Horrible Anglerfish Bog Monster.

I’d like to share with you the inspiration and concept for my Green Man.

While watching a video of rewilding in Scotland, I came across a scene that’s stuck with me. In the middle of the ecological desert of a managed pine forest was a clearing with an ancient oak tree, covered in lichen and moss.

This is how I envision the Green Man today, after centuries of invasive species and climate change. An ancient tree that’s done all the growing it needs to do, looks at the species we’ve introduced and the climate we’ve changed so massively and doesn’t see the point in waking up. New growth would be risky – why bother?

The journey of the Green Man throughout the night will be escaping that state – being drawn out of it by the energy and life of the other groups, culminating in the death and rebirth of the Green Man as a commitment to further growth, and the dance as an expression of that new life.

I want to draw a parallel to climate doomerism – the belief that it’s too late to do anything about the climate damage we’ve done and we should just give up any hope of fixing it. The best time to do anything was 100 years ago, the second best time is now. We have to keep going.

I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with you all and creating something wonderful.