ISSUE 109: THEATRE FOR DEVELOPMENT

Issue: Theatre for Development

Convener(s): John Walton

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Deference
Humility
Building Trust eg if they believe you will come back if you say you will
Connecting with local theatre companies
Need for a very supportive local partner organization / contact
Making sure you’re safe
Immunisations if you’re going abroad!
Thinking about what you will do with no facilities (eg doing things in the open air)
Expect commitment, but not too much
What are the cultural conventions of the societies that you’re going into?
If theatre is about stories, how can we use stories in development work?
If you’re going to a new community, it will be very difficult to have a solid plan, be open.
Dealing with hostility from participants and the community.

C&T (Computers & Theatre) – working in schools across the UK, US, Australia and Africa. Documentary theatre. Filming and making videos to share on the web. www.candt.org. Found James Thompson at Manchester University helpful (he does theatre work in war zones)

BRAVE Festival
- protecting cultural heritage and connecting groups that are losing their cultural identities
- allows these communities to interact

Theatre for Development – a Zimbabean company doing documentary drama and verbatim-style theatre

One project began by handing out throwaway cameras to children in Peru – this allowed the facilitator to get a real insight into the realities of the community on their terms.


Possible Resources

MA Theatre for Development – Winchester University
The Applied Theatre Reader – edited by Tim Prentki?
De Montford – on website a section about Cultural Regeneration
Forum Theatre


Thanks everyone!