Cultivating Young People's Relationships to a Theatre Building
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Cultivating Young People’s Relationships to a Theatre Building: New Perspectives in Regional Theatre A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2019 Carly Henderson School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Contents List of Figures 3 Abstract 4 Declaration and Copyright Statement 5 Acknowledgements 6 Provocation 7 – 10 Research Context 11 – 20 The Secondary Education Partnership Scheme: Background & Context 21 – 25 Method 26 – 34 Thesis Structure 35 – 39 Chapter 1. Locating Education Programmes in Theatre Buildings: A historiography of developments in practice between 1958 and 2008 40 – 76 Chapter 2. Regional Theatre, Place & Storyness: How the theatre building evokes meanings 77 – 119 Chapter 3. Hidden Spaces, Dusty Objects & Practices: Learning through theatre craft in situ 120 – 162 Chapter 4. The Process of Progress: Developing critical skills as theatre makers and audience members 163 – 200 Chapter 5. Situating Participatory Practice: Learning departments in regional theatres 201 – 243 Conclusion 244 – 251 Appendix 1. Using Photo Elicitation with Young People: Reflections on the method 252 - 257 Appendix 2. Information about the research participants and timeline for research project 258 Journal Article. The Exam Play: An approach to teaching Shakespeare through guided spectatorship 259 – 275 Bibliography 276 – 287 Word Count: 77, 714 2 List of Figures Figure 1: Work by Ford Madox Brown (1865). Manchester Art Gallery .......... 7 Figure 2: Methods training session (photograph by author, Sept 2014) ....... 30 Figure 3: Yorkshire Street, Oldham (photograph by James, March 2015) ... 86 Figure 4: Yorkshire Street, Oldham in 1930, Oldham Local Studies and Archives (2015) ..................................................................................... 90 Figure 5: A production shot in the stalls bar (photograph by Farhana, Feb 2015) ..................................................................................................... 97 Figure 6: Coliseum posters (photograph by Tom, Feb 2015) ....................... 99 Figure 7: The Coliseum stalls bar (photograph by Tom, Feb 2015) ........... 103 Figure 8: The Coliseum from Fairbottom Street (photograph by John, Feb 2015) ................................................................................................... 107 Figure 9: The Coliseum auditorium from the stage (photograph by Paris, March 2015) ....................................................................................... 110 Figure 10: Frank William Makin plaque in the stalls bar (photograph by James, March 2015) ........................................................................... 113 Figure 11: A costume in construction (photograph by Paris, Sept 2016) .... 128 Figure 12: The fly system (photograph by Tom, Sept 2016) ...................... 132 Figure 13: A Studio mark-up (photograph by James, Sept 2016)............... 135 Figure 14: Lighting workshop in the Studio (photograph by Riyadur, Sept 2016) ................................................................................................... 144 Figure 15: A props table (photograph by Riyadur, Sept 2016) ................... 152 Figure 16: A prop from the basement store (photograph by Paris, Sept 2016) ............................................................................................................ 156 Figure 17: Pre-show workshop with stage technicians (Photograph by Jack, Feb 2017) ............................................................................................ 171 Figure 18: Meat Pie, Sausage Roll rehearsal in the Coliseum’s Studio (photograph by Olwen, Feb 2017) ....................................................... 176 Figure 19: Educating Rita Schools’ Pre-Show (photograph by Debbie, Oct 2014) ................................................................................................... 180 Figure 20: Meat Pie, Sausage Roll rehearsal (photograph by Olwen, Feb 2017) ................................................................................................... 183 Figure 21: Gaslight (Production photograph by Joel C Fildes, Feb 2017) .. 190 Figure 22: Gaslight (Production photograph by Joel C Fildes, Feb 2017) .. 194 Figure 23: Quantum Installation by YEP, Liverpool Everyman Theatre (photograph selected by Chris, 2018) ................................................. 210 Figure 24: Prop making workshop at the Coliseum (photograph by Jake, Sept 2018)........................................................................................... 216 Figure 25: Work experience week at Royal Exchange Theatre (photograph by Chelsea, Feb 2018) ........................................................................ 220 Figure 26: Barnado's Asha Project in Coldhurst, Oldham...........................227 Figure 27: Debbie with students in her classroom (photograph by author, Jan 2015) ................................................................................................... 233 Figure 28: Debbie and students rehearsing for The Dark Night at the Coliseum (Feb, 2015) .......................................................................... 238 3 Abstract This thesis contributes to the study of regional theatre, an under-researched area of contemporary British theatre studies. It presents new perspectives on the theatre building as a focus and location for learning, and the development of civic identity amongst young people. The thesis begins with a historiography exploring the development of education activities delivered in regional theatres from 1958 – 2008. I identify and detail a sub-narrative within these histories, relating to engagement practices connected to the theatre building. The thesis presents an argument for education practices that draw on the diverse technical skills and artistry inherent in a producing theatre context, an area that I argue has been overlooked in theatre education research. Using Richard Sennett’s theoretical articulations of the skills and value systems inherent in craft, I offer a mapping of craft in theatre education, presenting insights into young people’s experiences of learning alongside technicians, stage managers and costume makers. I explore these themes in a detailed case study approach, focusing on the work of Oldham Coliseum Theatre, a publicly subsidised, producing theatre. A former mill town in the North of England, Oldham has a population broadly made up of people from white British and South Asian backgrounds. Using my role as a working practitioner at the Coliseum as a base for the research process, I present an autoethnographic account and analysis of the development of a model of local secondary schools’ provision. Few sources exploring engagement with theatre buildings draw on long-term empirical work with young people. To provide new understandings of the educational and social significance of this engagement in Oldham, in young people’s terms, I developed a novel methodology that incorporates and analyses the experiences of eight young people. Utilising photography and photo elicitation, these young people have documented and reflected on their engagement with the theatre over a 4-year period. Their photographs, threaded through the thesis, uncover and illuminate the material qualities of the theatre, as a place, and as a space for learning. 4 Declaration & Copyright Statement No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. i.The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. ii.Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii.The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trademarks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. iv.Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy (seehttp://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=24420), in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, The University Library’s regulations (seehttp://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/about/regulations/) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses. 5 Acknowledgements Many thanks to my supervisors, Dr. Simon Parry, Dr. Jenny Hughes and Dr. Maggie Gale, for their generous support, guidance and for building my confidence throughout