Learning Through Theatre – serie

This book explores applied theatre practice for children in environments of illness and cure and how it can powerfully normalise children’s hospitalisation experience. It is an essential tool for making meaning of children’s illness, putting it into a fictional context and developing better control of their clinical experiences. It can be central to raising the standards of care and quality of life during illness. Taken from the author’s research and participatory bedside theatre practice in hospitals before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, this book demonstrates new learning about aesthetics, ethics, emotions, stories, puppetry, digital arts and research methodologies about children’s health and wellbeing. It provides a selection of ten unique stories told by children inspired by applied theatre practice in paediatrics, cardiac, oncology, neurosurgery, burns units and complex and intensive care wards. Stories aid in understanding the language of children’s pain for a better assessment and management of pain by healthcare professionals through the arts. It analyses synergistic theatre performance in 'stitched lands' between challenging realities and safe fictionalities. This book enables artists to develop new ways of thinking and contributes to further improvements in the provision of education and reflective learning in the field. It also addresses the emotional labour of the artist in healthcare and makes recommendations for balanced training to prevent emotional exhaustion. Designed for artists, healthcare professionals, therapists, play specialists and teachers who work with children in healthcare, this text aims to help many people find creative ways of making a positive difference in sick children’s lives. It is a book for those who love and care for children.

This book explores applied theatre practice for children in environments of illness and cure and how it can powerfully normalise children’s hospitalisation experience. It is an essential tool for making meaning of children’s illness, putting it into a fictional context and developing better control of their clinical experiences. It can be central to raising the standards of care and quality of life during illness. Taken from the author’s research and participatory bedside theatre practice in hospitals before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, this book demonstrates new learning about aesthetics, ethics, emotions, stories, puppetry, digital arts and research methodologies about children’s health and wellbeing. It provides a selection of ten unique stories told by children inspired by applied theatre practice in paediatrics, cardiac, oncology, neurosurgery, burns units and complex and intensive care wards. Stories aid in understanding the language of children’s pain for a better assessment and management of pain by healthcare professionals through the arts. It analyses synergistic theatre performance in 'stitched lands' between challenging realities and safe fictionalities. This book enables artists to develop new ways of thinking and contributes to further improvements in the provision of education and reflective learning in the field. It also addresses the emotional labour of the artist in healthcare and makes recommendations for balanced training to prevent emotional exhaustion. Designed for artists, healthcare professionals, therapists, play specialists and teachers who work with children in healthcare, this text aims to help many people find creative ways of making a positive difference in sick children’s lives. It is a book for those who love and care for children.

The aim of this book is to contribute a dramaturgical perspective to education. The authors write from a dramaturgical perspective about the planning of teaching, leadership in the classroom, the teacher-body, the teacher’s oral skills and ethics, communication, and about the spaces in which teaching takes place. The book is written with the pre-understanding that the ways in which art creates knowledge need to be illuminated and articulated more clearly in educational thinking, thereby enhancing artful engagement in education. Dramaturgical perspectives are presented as such a way – a form of knowledge that the artform of drama/theatre can contribute to teaching and learning in general.Through examples and analyses of empirical material, as well as through theoretical perspectives, the authors show chapter by chapter how dramaturgy and a dramaturgically inspired language and concepts create more possibilities of choice for teachers in planning and carrying out their teaching. Teaching and Learning through Dramaturgy brings to the forefront what will be enabled in teaching and planning of teaching, by making use of a dramaturgically inspired language and action, what in principle is possible in every subject.

The aim of this book is to contribute a dramaturgical perspective to education. The authors write from a dramaturgical perspective about the planning of teaching, leadership in the classroom, the teacher-body, the teacher’s oral skills and ethics, communication, and about the spaces in which teaching takes place. The book is written with the pre-understanding that the ways in which art creates knowledge need to be illuminated and articulated more clearly in educational thinking, thereby enhancing artful engagement in education. Dramaturgical perspectives are presented as such a way – a form of knowledge that the artform of drama/theatre can contribute to teaching and learning in general.Through examples and analyses of empirical material, as well as through theoretical perspectives, the authors show chapter by chapter how dramaturgy and a dramaturgically inspired language and concepts create more possibilities of choice for teachers in planning and carrying out their teaching. Teaching and Learning through Dramaturgy brings to the forefront what will be enabled in teaching and planning of teaching, by making use of a dramaturgically inspired language and action, what in principle is possible in every subject.

Critical Themes in Drama is concerned with the relationship between drama and the current socio-political context. It builds on and contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations regarding the use, benefit, challenges and opportunities for drama and theatre as a social, cultural, educational and political act. The intention of this book is to canvas current theory and practice in drama, to provide an extended examination of how drama as a pro-social practice intersects with socio-cultural institutions, to link critical discourse and examine ways drama may contribute to a broader social justice agenda. Authors draw on a variety of theoretical tools from the fields of sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. This combines with an exploration of work from drama practitioners across a variety of countries and practices to provide a map of how the field is shaped and how we might understand drama praxis as a social, cultural and political force for change.This book offers drama scholars, practitioners, researchers and teachers a critical exploration which is both hopeful and critical; acknowledging the complexities and potential pitfalls, while celebrating the opportunities for drama as a practice for social action and positive change.

Critical Themes in Drama is concerned with the relationship between drama and the current socio-political context. It builds on and contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations regarding the use, benefit, challenges and opportunities for drama and theatre as a social, cultural, educational and political act. The intention of this book is to canvas current theory and practice in drama, to provide an extended examination of how drama as a pro-social practice intersects with socio-cultural institutions, to link critical discourse and examine ways drama may contribute to a broader social justice agenda. Authors draw on a variety of theoretical tools from the fields of sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. This combines with an exploration of work from drama practitioners across a variety of countries and practices to provide a map of how the field is shaped and how we might understand drama praxis as a social, cultural and political force for change.This book offers drama scholars, practitioners, researchers and teachers a critical exploration which is both hopeful and critical; acknowledging the complexities and potential pitfalls, while celebrating the opportunities for drama as a practice for social action and positive change.

Responding to the global state of permacrisis, this book explores the relationship between applied theatre and disaster.For millennia communities have learnt to live alongside disaster through their arts making. Building on the basis of this ancestral knowledge this book explores the current uses of applied theatre in times of constant crisis. Using a critical disaster studies lens, the authors recognise the role of governments and multinational businesses in profiteering from and manipulating for their own advantage the misery caused by disasters. Case studies of different stages of disaster, from risk reduction and disaster preparedness through to the almost inevitable resistance to failed government intervention, illustrate the possibilities and limitations of applied theatre and other art forms to navigate these times. Applied theatre is seen as a vital act of aesthetic and political hope.At a time of never-ending, overlapping disasters, this book will be important to researchers and postgraduate students working in applied theatre and disaster research in the social sciences. It will also appeal to applied arts practitioners who work in disaster zones and with relief organisations.

Responding to the global state of permacrisis, this book explores the relationship between applied theatre and disaster.For millennia communities have learnt to live alongside disaster through their arts making. Building on the basis of this ancestral knowledge this book explores the current uses of applied theatre in times of constant crisis. Using a critical disaster studies lens, the authors recognise the role of governments and multinational businesses in profiteering from and manipulating for their own advantage the misery caused by disasters. Case studies of different stages of disaster, from risk reduction and disaster preparedness through to the almost inevitable resistance to failed government intervention, illustrate the possibilities and limitations of applied theatre and other art forms to navigate these times. Applied theatre is seen as a vital act of aesthetic and political hope.At a time of never-ending, overlapping disasters, this book will be important to researchers and postgraduate students working in applied theatre and disaster research in the social sciences. It will also appeal to applied arts practitioners who work in disaster zones and with relief organisations.

As experts in both applied theatre and education, Au Yi-Man and John O’Toole outline how applied theatre techniques can be used to support workers in the human services to develop crucial skills such as resilience, imagination, critical thinking, and reflection.Highlighting under-emphasised skills and qualities in the human services professions, this book combines theory with context-specific practice to support capacity building across sectors. Drawing on a detailed study of NGO workers learning to use applied theatre techniques in professional development, the book offers insight into the learning and experiences of the participants and how these can be applied to future training programs. The book also provides a deeper understanding of how adult learners, from different backgrounds and levels of experience, approach their professional training. Rich with resources, the book features complete course examples, including theatre of the oppressed, process drama, and educational theatre, as core drama techniques.Opening up new opportunities for applied theatre practitioners and educators, this book is a must-read for teachers in any human services field intending to use drama or applied theatre in their training.

As experts in both applied theatre and education, Au Yi-Man and John O’Toole outline how applied theatre techniques can be used to support workers in the human services to develop crucial skills such as resilience, imagination, critical thinking, and reflection.Highlighting under-emphasised skills and qualities in the human services professions, this book combines theory with context-specific practice to support capacity building across sectors. Drawing on a detailed study of NGO workers learning to use applied theatre techniques in professional development, the book offers insight into the learning and experiences of the participants and how these can be applied to future training programs. The book also provides a deeper understanding of how adult learners, from different backgrounds and levels of experience, approach their professional training. Rich with resources, the book features complete course examples, including theatre of the oppressed, process drama, and educational theatre, as core drama techniques.Opening up new opportunities for applied theatre practitioners and educators, this book is a must-read for teachers in any human services field intending to use drama or applied theatre in their training.

Based on a longitudinal study with disadvantaged youth, this book provides an auto-ethnographic perspective on the complexities of working as a practitioner within marginalised communities.The author tells the story of the Penwithen Boys project, highlighting the power of drama intervention at a critical time in the participants’ adolescence. It explores the impact of excluding young people from mainstream education and how young people can respond differently in a drama environment, compared to other formal educational or institutional settings. It also comments on the decline of drama education and raises questions about who has access to applied drama projects. Coyne also shares her 17-year quest to track down the boys and understand what, if any, effect the drama project had on their lives. Through the authentic voices of the boys, now men, the book shows that applied drama can have life-changing effects.Providing authentic insights, this important text offers invaluable guidelines for drama educators for working safely and sustainably with deeply challenged, marginalised and resistant participants and provides a look into the challenges for applied drama practitioners touching on some of the author's work with other groups including refugees and Travellers.