Part 1: Applied Theatre in Everyday Life: What is Applied Theatre?

1.    How would you describe applied theatre to someone who has not read this introduction or experienced applied theatre in other ways? Working with a partner or a group of three, take turns role playing this conversation.

      Applied Theatre is an broad term for different kinds of theatre and art forms that is performed in a non traditional setting. Applied theatre challenges social and political issues through performances and workshops in order to promote some form of positive change to audiences and communities. The types of theatre that comes under the broad term of applied theatre are: Theatre in Education, Theatre of the Oppressed, Community based Theatre, Prison Theatre, Reminiscence Theatre, Museum Theatre, Theatre for Development, Theatre for Health Education and Popular Theatre (Prendergast and Saxton, 2009) These different kinds of theatre works with marginalised groups including: the poor, disabled and the minorities to give them a voice on their own experiences and issues in a safe and controlled setting. These groups challenge the status quo from time to time as it is them telling the story, not the people in power.     

2.   Re-read the thumbnail descriptions of applied theatre practices pages 1-6. Which of these types of applied theatre most draws your interest? What is it that attracts you to this particular form? Write a reflection that begins with “I could see myself working in this particular area of applied theatre because…”

     Theatre in Education is the type of theatre that draws my interest the most. I could see myself working in this particular area of applied theatre because I like the prospect of being able to facilitate a session, especially in schools and observe the process of the participants own journey, weather big or small. For example, In 2014-15 I had some experience of facilitating sessions as I worked alongside an Educational Outreach Worker to facilitate weekly sessions with a year 6 class at Madly Primary School, Hereford. The primary focus was to support the students with their Literacy and language skills, through the use of different Drama games and activities. One of these activities involved was to create the most important mini scenes in the students chosen fairy tale story. Throughout that year it was very rewarding to see those students grow in confidence, develop their critical thinking skills, express their own views and most importantly have fun. However, at times it was very challenging to either help facilitate or facilitate a session as I had to constantly take into consideration the age range of the group, their abilities and non-abilities, the learning outcomes the children had to meet and many more of other factors. These factors had to be taken into consideration when planning and leading activities. 

      In general I feel that all theatre companies and organisations explores a particular issue or multiple issues through rehearsals, workshops and performances which in theory conveys a message to the audience and participants and promotes positive change. These types of theatres has an element of Theatre in Education within it. Britain's Cardboard Citizens is one of many theatres that puts on productions and projects to educate everyone in some way or form. One of their Theatre in Education projects is called 'Home and Away' which they work on in schools. 'Home and Away' focuses on the current issues Britain is talking about which is refugees asylum seekers and the struggles they go through (Prendergast and Saxton, 2009). This performance is about an Ethiopian refugee living in London. He commits suicide at the end of the performance. At the end of this performance four groups of audiences were invited to create their own positive endings (Prendergast and Saxton, 2009). This performance not only made the audience aware of the current issues, but it also allowed them to perform what the outcomes should be and in theory should change their perspectives on refugees as a whole.

      I would like to work in the field of Theatre in Education more and explore more issues that are not just school related, but issues that are currently going on in the world and in society that need to be addressed and challenged. I would also like to facilitate more groups as every group is different overall. This would give me the challenge of putting in a lot of work and research in order to cater sessions for those groups. Facilitating more sessions will give me the transferable skills I need in order to either become a Drama Teacher or an Education Outreach Worker for a theatre company.  

 

Reference List
Prendergast, M., Saxton, J., eds. (2009) Applied theatre: international case studies and challenges for practice. Bristol: Intellect.