Devastating Doncaster floods to be revisited in stage play in submerged village

Fishlake was swamped by flood waters from the River Don in November 2019, with dozens of homes and businesses being wrecked as the village was submerged and a major incident declared.

Now theatre company Sheepish Productions are set to stage a new production about the drama, with a ‘work in progress’ performance ahead of a tour in 2025.

A spokesman said: “We’re making a unique piece of theatre with Yorkshire, the community and the climate crisis at the heart of it.”

The production will take place at Fishlake Village Hall on April 19.

Writer Jeremy Fletcher, who was born and lives in the village, said: “Fishlake has a fascinating relationship with flooding, initially caused when a Dutch engineer messed with the local waterways and caused decades of devasting floods.

"Sadly, the riverbanks that protected the village for 71 years are no match for the climate crisis.

"In November 2019, the tiny village of Fishlake suffered a devastating flood.

"There are only 200 homes - 90% of them flooded overnight and in the aftermath, some homes had to destroyed.”

Mr Fletcher, who was out of his home for nine months in the aftermath of the flood, has spoken to numerous residents impacted by the project.

The father-of-two, whose previous plays include Communicate, which was inspired by his own experience of bereavement, believes it is important to show what people went through and how much more upheaval will be caused unless the climate crisis is addressed.

He said: “It was horrendous. I’ve lived here all my life and the water had got quite close to topping the banks quite a few times before but there wasn’t a single person in the village, or from the council or the Environment Agency, who thought it would flood that night.

"When we realised it was going to flood we had about half an hour to properly prepare, pack and get out of there.”

They drove off but their car got stuck in the water and they ended up being stranded in the cold for several hours before they were eventually rescued, added Jeremy.

"When we got back in three or four days later to look around, it was soul destroying to see the state of the house which was under two-and-a-half feet of water,” he said.

Jeremy told how it feels ‘natural’ to write a play about what happened, and he described it as ‘sort of a cathartic experience’.

"I’m passionate about the climate crisis and I feel if I can’t write this play, who can,” he said.

But he said that highlighted how urgent action is needed to tackle the climate crisis before more communities lose their homes and livelihoods due to extreme weather.

“What we’ve seen is just the tip of the iceberg and it should be a warning to people,” he said.

“When the flooding happened, we had literally every TV and radio station here but now they’ve gone it’s important to keep it in the mind’s eye.

"Theatre at its best engages people and keeps important issues like climate change at the forefront of the public’s minds, which is what I’m hoping to do.”