Sally Chance Thesis
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I SEE YOU SEEING ME An analysis of the relationship between invitation and participation in Theatre for Early Years Sally Chance BA (Hons), PGDip Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Creative Industries School of Creative Practice Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology 2020 I See You Seeing Me I See You Seeing Me – Nursery, 2018 2 I See You Seeing Me • Abstract Abstract Through a process of scholarly research in the field of performance studies, and artistic practice in the field of Theatre for Early Years (TEY), my Doctorate of Creative Industries had the goal of understanding the work involved in structuring and presenting dance-theatre as an encounter (Kelleher and Ridout, 2006; Fischer-Lichte, 2009; Heim, 2016) between professional performers and audiences aged three years and younger, in the company of their adults. The practice-led nature of the research contributes to TEY practitioner knowledge infrastructure by uncovering a fundamental aspect of TEY practice, namely an analysis of the relationship between the work of the performers and their performative material, and the experiences of the very young audience members for whom the work is created. I chose the term participation to represent multiple types of involvement by very young audience members. My research makes an explicit link between the structure of the performance work, the work of the performers and the observable actions of young children as co-creative participants. I suggest that young children’s responses to live performance encompass a complex and codifiable spectrum of activities, expressed in aesthetic intention in relation to the world of the show. This becomes the key to the encounter, with the potential to be a critical aspect of the materials of construction of each show, when harnessed by the performers within the framework of performer responsivity proffered by this research. 3 I See You Seeing Me • Keywords Keywords: Theatre for Early Years, TEY, practice-led research, babies, young children, participation, intra-action, co-creation, infant mental health 4 I See You Seeing Me • Acknowledgements Acknowledgements I acknowledge with enormous gratitude the time, wisdom and generous input of my supervisors, Mark Radvan and Kathryn Kelly. The chance to talk about theatre in theory and practice – and at length – has been a wonderful privilege. For the clarity and inspiration of our conversations I gratefully thank my industry mentor, Dave Brown. I warmly recognise Jennifer Roche and Lee McGowan for their support during the first year of my DCI. Huge thanks also to Judith McLean, who opened the door. I warmly acknowledge all the Adelaide-based families – the children and their adults – who attended Nursery and Seashore together and who were also willing to talk about their experiences. I thank the theatre colleagues whose views I invited, or whose shows I attended. I also thank my friend Judy Russell for her warm hospitality. From the bottom of my heart I thank my company members, Stephen, Felecia and Heather; and Jason Cross, who holds us together as a small, independent company. My DCI was made possible with the support of an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend, for which I am extremely grateful. And finally, my love and thanks to my son, whose arrival 16 years ago opened my eyes to the exquisite inter-personal skills of babies, and to my partner, who has been with me every step of the way. 5 I See You Seeing Me • Contents Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................. 3 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................ 5 Statement of Original Authorship ....................................................................................... 8 Prelude.................................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter One: Introduction................................................................................................. 11 1.1 Overview of Chapters ............................................................................................................12 1.2 Projects One (2018) and Two (2019) ....................................................................................19 1.2.1 Project One – Nursery...............................................................................................19 1.2.2 Project Two – Seashore ............................................................................................20 1.3 Describing the Child Participants ..........................................................................................21 1.4 Rationale – I See You Seeing Me..........................................................................................25 1.4.1 Socially Engaged and Aesthetic Goals .....................................................................27 1.4.2 Creating a Space .......................................................................................................29 1.5 Participation...........................................................................................................................32 1.6 Contribution to Knowledge ...................................................................................................35 1.7 Industry Rationale..................................................................................................................36 Chapter Two: Contextual Review...................................................................................... 37 2.1 Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) and Theatre for Early Years (TEY)...........................37 2.2 Overlapping Frames of Reference .........................................................................................43 2.3 The Presence of Adults..........................................................................................................51 2.4 The Shared Quest for Legitimation .......................................................................................53 Chapter Three: Literature Review .................................................................................... 59 3.1 Privileging the Non-Verbal....................................................................................................59 3.2 TEY as a Relational Exchange ..............................................................................................65 3.3 TEY Audiences and their Parents/Carers ..............................................................................69 3.3.1 Parents/Carers as Catalysts .......................................................................................70 3.3.2 Parents/Carers as Witnesses......................................................................................73 3.4 The Dramaturgy of the Audience ..........................................................................................75 3.5 Towards Methodology...........................................................................................................78 Chapter Four: Methodology............................................................................................... 79 4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................79 4.2 Research Participants.............................................................................................................82 4.3 The Projects ...........................................................................................................................84 4.3.1 Project One – Nursery...............................................................................................84 4.3.2 Project Two – Seashore ............................................................................................85 4.4 Practice-led Research.............................................................................................................87 4.5 Reflective Practice .................................................................................................................88 4.6 Towards Reflexivity ..............................................................................................................89 4.6.1 Socially Engaged Dance Practice .............................................................................91 4.6.2 Dance in Perinatal Infant Mental Health ..................................................................93 4.6.3 Attending TEY as a Parent .......................................................................................94 4.7 Qualitative Methodology .......................................................................................................98 4.7.1 Observation.............................................................................................................100 6 I See You Seeing Me • Contents Chapter Five: Creative Works......................................................................................... 110 5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................110 5.2 Project One – Nursery..........................................................................................................111 5.2.2 The Company..........................................................................................................112