The Cultural Geographies of Community Theatre
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Cultural Geographies of Community Theatre Yvonne Natalie Robinson Department of Geography University College London Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of PhD University of London, 2004 ProQuest Number: 10014842 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10014842 Published by ProQuest LLC(2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Abstract Against a backdrop of growing interest in performance geographies and performative notions of embodiment and social identity, this thesis critically examines the geographies of ‘community theatre’ (or ‘theatre in the community’). Drawing on in-depth qualitative research, the study is concerned to analyse the forms of ‘community’ presumed in and produced through the performances of community theatre companies in London. It focuses in particular on detailed case studies of three companies - London Bubble, Outside Edge and Tamasha - which were chosen to examine how different engagements with the notion of ‘community’ are made through performance and practice. This thesis demonstrates how practices of community theatre have been positioned marginally to that of mainstream and established theatre. Through the empirical analysis, it examines both the opportunities and contradictions that an engagement with the discourse and practice of ‘community’ brings for community theatre companies. It also illustrates how ‘theatre in the community’ companies mobilise themselves in ways which may be both subversive, democratic and powerful. Engaging with forms of performative art that work with ideas of community and notions of communality articulated through performance, the thesis helps to rectify the absence of geographic research on the social spatial constitution of the arts. In so doing, it seeks to contribute to emergent understandings of the social and cultural geographies of performance. Contents List of Illustrations 8 Abbreviations 9 Acknowledgements 10 One Introduction 12 Two Literature Review 24 2.1 Introduction 24 Part I Conceptualising Community Theatre 26 2.2 The Roots of Community Theatre 26 2.2.1 The Combination 28 2.2.2 Contemporary Readings of Community Theatre 40 2.2.3 Theatre and Performance : Representation v Presentation 42 Part 11 The 'Community' of Community Theatre 49 2.3 Community: A Site of Contestation and Harmony 50 2.3.1 The Concept of Community 50 2.3.2 Cultural Geography and the Reworking of Ideas 54 of Community 2.3.3 Harmonious or Contested: The 'Community' 56 of Community Theatre Part 111 The Cultural Geographies of Community Theatre 59 2.4 Cultural Geography and the Arts: Text v Practice 60 2.4.1 Cultural Geography and Performativity 67 2.5 Mapping the Cultural Geographies of Community Theatre 68 Conclusions 71 Three Research Methodology 74 3.1 Introduction 74 3.2 Developing an Ethnographic Research Methodology 77 3.2.1 Ethnography as method 78 3.2.2 Ethnography as a set of methods 79 3.3 From Sample to Interview: An overview of Community 86 Theatre Companies in London 3.3.1 Obtaining the Sample 86 3.3.2 The Interview Population 90 3.3.3 The Interviews 93 3.4 Constructing the Case Studies 96 3.4.1 Choosing the Case Studies 96 3.4.2 Doing Ethnography 97 3.4.2.1 London Bubble 98 3.4.2.2 Outside Edge 104 3.4.2.3 Tamasha 109 3.5 Positioning in the Research Process 111 3.5.1 Ethnic and Gender Positionings 111 3.5.2 My Identity as an Actress 112 3.5.3 My Positioning as a Consumer of Knowledge 114 Conclusion 116 Four Community Theatre/Theatre in the Community 117 4.1 Introduction 117 4.2 Contemporary Practices of Community Theatre : community, 119 text and performance 4.2.1 Theatre’s Based in a Particular Locality: The Half Moon 119 People’s Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East 4.2.1.1 Theatre’s based in a Particular Locality: A 121 Background of the Half Moon and Stratford East 4.2.1.2 Questions of Artistic and Professional Conduct: 123 East’s Ideological Positioning to Established Theatre 4.2.1.3 Theatre’s based in a Particular Locality: ’Local’ and 125 ‘Global’ Imaginings of Community 4.2.2 Taking Theatre to Communities: Kettle of Fish, Arc Theatre 129 Ensemble and Proteus 4.2.2.1 A Text-Based Approach to Performance : Theatre from 131 and New Writing 4.2.2.2 From Theatre to Performance: Taking Theatre to Non- 135 Traditional Performance Venues 4.2.3 Culturally Specific Theatres: Afro International, Besht Tellers, 137 Nitro, Talawa, Tara Arts and Theatre Technis 4.2.3.1 A Mainstream Approach to Ethnic Theatre: Besht Tellers, 139 Nitro and Talawa 4.2.3.2 A Non-Mainstream Approach to Ethnic Theatre : Afro 142 International, Tara Arts and Theatre Technis 4.2.4 Group Specific Theatres: Age Exchange, Spare Tyre and 146 Strathcona Theatre Company 4.2.4.1 Enter the Professional: Age Exchange, Spare Tyre, 146 Strathcona? 4.2.4.2 The Process of Play Making 148 4.2.4.3 But Is It Good Art - Age Exchange, Spare Tyre, 149 Strathcona? 4.2.5 Broad Based Arts: AH Change, Hoxton HaH 150 and Theatre Venture 4.2.5.1 Broad Based Arts : Moving Away From ‘ Community’ 151 4.2.5.2 Broad Based Arts: Transcending the Boundaries 152 of Theatre Conclusion 155 Five Community Theatre: Anywhere that Theatre’s not? 157 The Case of the London Bubble 5.1 Introduction 157 5.2 ‘A Bubble of Imagination’ : A History of the London Bubble 160 5.3 The London Bubble ’s Production of Gilgamesh: An Analysis 169 of Community in Practice 5.3.1 Analysing Community In Practice : Rehearsing Gilgamesh 176 5.3.2 Analysing Community In Practice: Performing Gilgamesh 185 5.4 Community Participation in the Bubble Adult Drama (BAD) Group 191 Conclusion 208 Six Community Theatre: A Vehicle for Change? 211 The Case of Outside Edge Theatre Company 6.1 Introduction 211 Part I The Workshop Phase 216 6.2 Community and Group Formation 216 Part II The Feed-back Session 242 6.3 The Feed-back Session: Development 243 6.3.1 From the Workshop to the Feed-back Session 243 6.3.2 The Feed-back Session: Participation, Authenticity 245 and Quality Part III Performing Harry and Susie Get Married?: Forum theatre and 249 (Empowering) Community 6.4 Performing Harry and Susie Get Married? 251 Conclusion 259 Seven Community Theatre: Demystifying the Role of Asians 261 in Making Theatre? The Case of Tamasha Theatre Company 7.1 Introduction 261 7.2 ‘Demystifying the Role of Asians in Making Theatre ’ : A History 266 of Tamasha 7.3 Tamasha, Community and Cultural Identity 271 7.4 Work in the Community: Interculturahsm and Theatre Education 276 7.5 ‘Moving Out of the ‘Ghetto’ and into the Mainstream’: Re-Staging 281 Fourteen Songs, Two Wedding and A Funeral 7.5.1 The Mainstreaming of Fourteen Songs: Language, Set 284 and Design 7.5.2 The Mainstreaming of Fourteen Songs: 286 Proscenium Staging and Naturalistic Acting 7.5.3 The Mainstreaming of Fourteen Songs: Music and Casting 293 7.6 Cultural Frictions 296 Conclusion 303 Eight Conclusion 307 Appendix I ‘The Interview Schedule’ 325 Appendix II "Padora (scenes 1-3 )’ 327 Bibliography 334 List of Illustrations List of Figures 2.1 A Table of the Differences between ‘Urban’ and ‘Rural’ areas, 53 5.1 ‘Humbaba’, Monster of the Forest, 172 5.2 The ‘Goddess Ishtar’, 172 5.3 ‘Utanapishti’, the old man, 173 7.1 ‘Prem and Nisha’, 281 List of Boxes 3.1 ‘ Obtaining the Sample ’, 86 3.2 ‘Community Theatre Companies Interviewed’, 91-93 3.3 ‘Five Main types of Community Theatre Identified’, 96 3.4 ‘Performances of Gilgamesh’, 102 3.5 ‘Performances of Harry and Susie Get Married?’, 108 3.6 ‘Performances of Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and A Funeral’, 111 5.1 ‘A Synopsis of Gilgamesh’, 171 -173 5.2 ‘Improvisational Exercises’, 194-196 6.1 ‘An Improvisation’, 239 6.2 ‘A Synopsis of Harry and Susie Get Married?’, 245 - 246 7.1 Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and A Funeral: A Plan of The Plot’, 283 7.2 ‘Act two. Scene five of Fourteen Songs’, 290 - 292 Abbreviations AA Alcoholics Anonymous ADF Asian Dub Foundation BAD Bubble Adult Drama ITC Independent Theatre Council. KOFT Kettle of Fish LA London Arts LBG London Borough Grants LIPA Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts GLG Greater London Council NA Narcotics Anonymous Acknowledgements This thesis is the culmination of what has been a long and at times difficult project. I could not have completed this project without the help of many individuals and organisations which have proved invaluable to the research. I would fike to thank aU of the ‘community theatre’ companies that agreed to take part in this study, and also the participants and audience members who shared their experiences with me. A special thank you to artistic director of The Combination, John Turner, who took time out of his busy schedule to talk to me and also very generously, provided me with his paper on ‘Community Theatre’. I also want to thank GabrieUe Moss at Besht Tellers for her helpful contributions regarding the relevant sources for identifying ‘theatre in the community’ companies in the early stages of the research.