The See-Saw Tree looks at an important environmental issue in an entertaining but thought-provoking way. The See-Saw Tree, an ancient oak, stands on ground which is ear-marked for development into a children’s playground by Mr. Jay, owner of the nearby supermarket. A public meeting is called in the village hall to discuss his proposals, which include cutting down the three-hundred-year-old oak tree. The audience votes in favor, but Mr. Bunn, an environmental activist protests and shows us the devastating effect such plans will have on the inhabitants of the tree – the main part of the play tells the story of these creatures (who can be played by their human equivalents), their panic, their resilience and their evacuation from the tree. In the end, the audience is asked to vote whether the See-Saw Tree should be saved or not.
Commissioned by the Farnham Repertory Company, the play was first performed at the Redgrave Theatre, Farnham in 1986.