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The fragmentation of social groups in the face of the global mass media has begun to threaten the survival of popular theatre companies. This study traces the development of various types of community theatre in Britain and Canada, from the '70s to the present day. Attention is drawn to several key issues including: distinctions between popular and mainstream theatre; the Theatre in Education movement; influence of Theatre for Development from Africa and Asia; popular theatre as an art form, a process of self-empowerment and an instrument of cultural intervention. The book follows an innovative structure, integrating a comparative history of popular theatre with the contributions of current, active popular theatre makers. The co-authors, one British, one Canadian, shape their discourses around these contributions so that the the authentic voices are neither mediated nor distorted. The book is thus designed to appeal both to the theatrical practitioner and to the academic.
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Popular Theatre in Political Culture Britain and Canada in focus Tim Prentki Jan Selman intellect Popular Theatre in Political Culture Britain and Canada in focus Tim Prentki and Jan Selman intellectTM Bristol, UK Portland OR, USA First Published in Paperback in 2003 in Great Britain by Intellect Books, PO Box 862, Bristol BS99 1DE, UK First Published Paperback in 2003 in the USA in 2003 by Intellect Books, ISBS, 5804 N.E. Hassalo St, Portland, Oregon 97213-3644, USA Published in Hardback in 2000 in Great Britain by Intellect Books, Bristol, UK Published in Hardback in 2000 in the USA by Intellect Books, Portland, OR, USA Copyright ©2000 Intellect Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission. Consulting Editor: Production Editor: Cover Illustration Copy Editor: Masoud Yazdani Robin Beecroft Julie Payne Julie Strudwick A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Electronic ISBN 1-84150-859-4 / ISBN 1-84150-847-0 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Antony Rowe, Eastbourne Contents Preface The Lawnmower 1 3 1 8 Defining Popular Theatre What is It? Where has it Come From? The South will Rise Again Defining the Territory A Conversation with Two Practitioners – Darrel Wildcat and Jane Heather Ways of Looking at Popular Theatre Risking Friendship in a Play about Land Mines Julie Salverson 2 Intentions 30 Agents of Change Schools of Thought about Community Work Methodologies and Involvement Strategies Some Thoughts about Techniques Popular Theatre, Cultural Awareness and Solidarity: Canada to Nicaragua Joe Cloutier and Alexina Dalgetty The Interplay of Intention and Popular Theatre Choices 3 Contexts 54 The Development of Popular Theatre in Britain We Are One Tribe Bridget Escolme The Development of Popular Theatre in Canada From Theatre to Community Kadi Purru 4 Forms of Theatre What Theatre Can Do (and What it Can’t) The Psyche Project Don Bouzek Presentational Theatre Participatory Theatre 101 In a Fix Iain Smith and Gillian Twaite Participatory Process The Practice of Justice Lisa Sokil 5 Popular Theatre Process 131 Producing the Process: Processing the Product The Creators Becoming One With the Mud Deborah Hurford Transformative Fictions The Nature of Popular Theatre Process Participation Theatre for Living David Diamond Tightropes of Facilitation Shrinkwrapped Mary Swan Inventing a Process Questioning some