Transformational Drama: Theatre for Community and Social Change
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University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016 University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2001 Transformational drama: theatre for community and social change Bridget Mary Aitchinson University of Wollongong Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. 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For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] NOTE This online version of the thesis may have different page formatting and pagination from the paper copy held in the University of Wollongong Library. UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG COPYRIGHT WARNING You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. TRANSFORMATIONAL DRAMA: THEATRE FOR COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree DOCTOR OF CREATIVE ARTS From UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG By BRIDGET MARY AITCHISON, BA(HONS), MACE FACULTY OF CREATIVE ARTS 2001 THESIS CERTIFICATION I, Bridget Mary Aitchison, declare that this thesis, submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Creative Arts, in the Faculty of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong, is wholly my own work unless otherwise referenced or acknowledged. The document has not been submitted for qualifications at any other academic institution. Bridget Mary Aitchison 17 December 2001 ABSTRACT Transformational Drama is theatre which acts as a catalyst for change in communities and in society. It addresses issues of social importance and changes people’s perceptions, attitudes and reactions to those issues. This thesis explores the foundational theory behind transformational drama, including the use of drama as an applied art as found in the work of Jacob Moreno (the founder of psychodrama), Richard Scheckner and Augusto Boal. It then examines the reclamation of the transformational properties of drama from the behavioural sciences back into the conventional theatre by looking at the community theatre and Theatre-In-Education movements. Three plays are examined for their transformational effect - Aftershocks, Property of the Clan/Blackrock, and Runaways. Each had their own particular methodology (verbatim, scripted and devised) which leant itself toward theatre which caused social change. Each created transformations in the communities for which they were originally produced but each also went on to affect wider, main-stream audiences. In researching these three plays, the author combined elements of each, as well as the foundational theory, to create a new methodology for the production of transformational drama. This method was trialled in Back From Nowhere, a production based on the issue of youth-suicide. The thesis details the process used to create this play and an analysis of the resulting product. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank several key people, without whose help and support this thesis would not exist: My parents, James and Donna Calcandis. Without their constant love, support and encouragement (not to mention babysitting!) I never would have started this process, much less finished it. You are a blessing from God to me! My children, Marion and Heather. You kept me grounded in reality and reminded me of who I really was when I got lost in the haze of work. Your simple, child-like faith in your mother meant more to me than I can tell you. My supervisors: Maurie Scott, John Senczuk and Janys Hayes. To Maurie, who has walked a very long and difficult road with me for ten long years and made sure I returned to my research every time I wanted to give up, I couldn’t have done this without you. I owe you so much. Thank you! My thanks also to Janys, whose encouraged me to strive for excellence with the production. And to John, who stepped in when things were looking bleak and got me over the finish line, your encouragement and support over the last two years has been invaluable. Rev Dr Gordon Moyes, Dr David H Johnston, Wesley Mission, and Wesley Institute for Ministry & the Arts for their incredible support (financial and emotional), encouragement and faith in me. I will never forget. God bless you enormously. Iain Court for his encouragement when I needed it most, his invaluable professional assistance with the show, and his support with the thesis. You are very special! Randall Pieterse and LifeForce for all the time and information they gave us in the research of the material for the play. You do such special work - keep going! The Sydney Opera House for their generous support of Back From Nowhere. The cast and crew of Back From Nowhere, especially Clive King and Linden Jones, for their unflagging commitment and belief in the value of what we were trying to . achieve. The Queen’s Trust for supporting my work and playing such an important part of the journey that brought me here. My colleagues at Wesley Institute who continually supported myself, the cast and crew o f Back From Nowhere with prayer and encouragement; especially Hilda Caine (always the encourager!) and Dennis Nutt for his beneficial advice. Ann B for never doubting that I could do it (even when I did!). And finally, my thanks for God for being the centre of my life and holding me in His hands to protect and guide me no matter what has gone wrong around me. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1........................................................................................................................... 1 DRAMA AS THERAPY: THE THEORETICAL BACKGROUND PART 1.........1 D r Jacob M oreno...................................................................................................................... 7 Psychodrama............................................................................................................................ 7 Sociodrama............................................................................................................................. 12 Augusto B oal and Richard Schechner.........................................................................15 Richard Schechner: The Entertainment-Efficacy Braid............................................... 15 Augusto Boal: Theatre of the Oppressed.........................................................................18 Three Theories of Catharsis.............................................................................................23 Conclusion............................................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER 2 .........................................................................................................................28 CURRENT PRACTICE IN TRANSFORMATIONAL DRAMA:............................28 THREE MODELS..............................................................................................................28 Community Theatre..............................................................................................................28 Claims for Efficacy of Community Theatre and the TIE/Community Theatre Crossover/N e x u s....................................................................................................................31 TRANSFORMATIONAL D R A M A ...............................................................................................34 V erbatim theatre: aftershocks.....................................................................................36