Much more than an archive, these are the vivid, still pertinent voices and messages of the pioneers worldwide.
The nineteen articles chosen by the editors of Applied Theatre Research represent key themes and elements from the early days of applied theatre that are still – and indeed now more than ever – relevant. They are all high-quality articles, some of which were highly influential in their own time. All of them still have plenty to say to today’s applied theatre, both in their own terms and sometimes in terms of how their publication influenced the development at the time of this still-expanding field, or refracted it in ways that give us new insights with hindsight.
They have been arranged in sections according to some of the key themes – and problematic issues – that were discovered, thought out and sometimes stumbled across by the pioneer writers in the collection. Each section is preceded by a critical editorial commentary on those themes, besides thorough introductions to all the articles and in some cases re-evaluations. The editors have added substantial additional new material to the collection and in doing so, bring their own applied theatre experience to bear on these themes, as they raise general questions that are wide-ranging, contemporary and urgent: from the vital and contested issues of power, partnerships and the giving of voice through theatre to applied theatre’s proactive response to COVID-19, to the need to identify, take account of and address the needs of all stakeholders in any applied theatre project.
The articles are grouped in six sections, covering areas such as diversity of geography, community contexts, forms of applied theatre and organizational factors that characterize applied theatre; the definition and nature of applied theatre; how the best intentioned projects could be compromised by any of the many opportunities for applied theatre to go wrong; opportunities for change it can offer and the incorporation of new media technologies, and ethnographic performance, two factors that have now become major preoccupations for our field, particularly in the years since the articles were written. The final section recognizes that applied theatre has been around not for 30 years, but for thousands, and in countless cultures.
The editorial chapters have strong connections with the rest of the book, but are written with the editors’ deep insights into the field, and are sharp in their focus and context. The book offers useful insights into the start of applied theatre and its development as an area of practice and research. The chapter collection is relevant and includes influential names in the field who have contributed significantly to the development of applied theatre over time.
The primary market will be academics and advanced practitioners in applied theatre, drama education and theatre studies – including the expanding fields of drama therapy, theatre and health etc. It will also be useful for educators exploring creative pedagogy and drama in education strategies across the curriculum.
It will be valuable introductory background reading for advanced undergraduate and post-graduate students in drama, theatre studies and theatre arts, performance studies and community theatre.
Professor Peter O’Connor is acknowledged as a world leader in making and researching the possibilities of the arts for social transformation. Having first established the study of applied theatre in New Zealand he extended that into arts-based research projects around the globe. In 2020 he established the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation (CAST) at the University of Auckland where he leads a cross disciplinary team in national and international arts based research projects. O'Connor focuses on creating and investigating arts projects in a wide range of contexts, including prisons, schools, and disaster zones. He leads CAST projects that tackle social issues such as racism, the rise of populism, as well as youth and child mental health and stigma associated with mental illness. O'Connor spearheads transdisciplinary research initiatives that foster collaborations between artists, academics, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government departments. Their aim is to explore how the arts can contribute to solving complex and persistent problems. Peter is an internationally recognised expert in making and researching applied theatre and drama education. He has made theatre in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, earthquake zones and with the homeless. Through his applied scholarship, he has developed innovative models of interdisciplinary praxis that delve into the interconnectedness of critical pedagogies, aesthetics, and social justice. His theorising of the arts post-disaster has developed new understandings of the potential for the arts to heal communities post trauma. Peter's most recent research includes multi and interdisciplinary studies on the creative pedagogies and the arts, the nature of embodied learning and the pedagogy of surprise. He led the development of Te Rito Toi, an on line resource to support the return to schools during COVID-19 by using an arts and well being approach. Used in 120 countries around the world, the site had over 280,000 page views in its first month of use. He leads the University of Auckland team working alongside the Sir John Kirwan Foundation on a mental health education approach for primary schools.
Penny Bundy is an adjunct professor at the Griffith Institute for Educational Research. Prior to her retirement, Penny was one of Jennifer’s Ph.D supervisors and is proud to support her in the presentation of this article.
Contact: Adjunct Professor, School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Australia.
