Hulsmeier, Adelle (2019) Applied Shakespeare: a transformative encounter: An analysis of Shakespeare's use within applied theatre settings, for transformative purposes. Doctoral thesis, University of Sunderland. Downloaded from: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/10875/ Usage guidelines Please refer to the usage guidelines at http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/policies.html or alternatively contact [email protected]. Applied Shakespeare: a transformative encounter An analysis of Shakespeare’s use within applied theatre settings, for transformative purposes. Adelle Cherise Hulsmeier For PhD A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Sunderland for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 2019 1 ‘Whatever is in front of you will soon be behind you’ (J. Hulsmeier) Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt (Shakespeare, Lucio: Measure for Measure, Act One, Scene Four) 2 Thesis Abstract The purpose of this thesis is to provide a contribution to new knowledge surrounding debate relative to the challenges that arise when applied theatre companies use Shakespeare’s work for transformative purposes. Often the justification behind selecting Shakespeare’s plays as a tool to aid transformation is founded in the promotion of a universalising discourse. This discourse can afford an ‘unreflective affirmation’ of a range of ideals promoted through the engagement with Shakespeare’s plays. The implication is that complex and complicated profiles of characters, found in Shakespeare’s plays, can be promoted and explored by potentially vulnerable communities of people as a ‘blue-print’ for learning about, and transforming oneself. The ideals promoted can often be assumptive and taken-for-granted beliefs about the work that often override the consideration of the political and cultural values embedded in Shakespeare’s own theatre. The method of Critical Discourse Analysis is employed to explore and acknowledge the challenges inherent in applied theatre generally. A case study analysis of three salient community projects is undertaken to demonstrate where work of this nature exists. The thesis undertakes close analysis of the Education Shakespeare Company (prison), the Blue Apple Theatre Company (Disability), and the Combat Veteran Players (therapy). As a method of subverting the universalisation of Shakespeare’s plays, and overcoming some of the challenges found in combining Shakespeare’s work with applied theatre formats, the thesis suggests the use of new historicism and Brecht’s 3 historicisation and verfremdungseffekt. For demonstrative purposes, the thesis applies an historical reading to Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, Macbeth, Richard III, Henry VI Part One & Two, and Hamlet. The method demonstrates how participants are afforded an opportunity to grapple with unresolved questions and concentrate the mind in order to find relevant and appropriate opportunities to create change and transformation. The thesis recommends that a critical and historical reading of Shakespeare’s plays remains important to applied theatre practice and identifies three main provocations of practice in order to: 1) offer the participants a safe distance when exploring opportunities for transformation, 2) subvert the universalising discourse to avoid assumptive and taken-for-granted beliefs about Shakespeare’s work, 3) challenge the concept of universal truth and demonstrate where differences and not similarities exist. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................. 8 Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................. 10 1.1 Rationale ................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Motivation, background, and parameters for the research ................................................ 20 1.2.1 Universalising discourse .................................................................................................. 20 1.2.2 Cultural values .................................................................................................................. 24 1.2.3 Character identification .................................................................................................... 26 1.2.4 Historical considerations ................................................................................................. 28 1.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 32 1.3.1 Research framework ........................................................................................................ 32 1.3.2 Research position ............................................................................................................. 34 1.3.3. Research methods .......................................................................................................... 36 1.3.3a Critical discourse analysis ............................................................................................ 36 1.3.3b New Historicism .............................................................................................................. 39 1.3.4 Research collection techniques ..................................................................................... 41 1.4 Thesis structure ....................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter Two: The context of applied theatre ........................................................................... 48 2.1 Defining applied theatre: its history, concepts and theories ............................................. 48 2.2 Defining ‘marginalised’ ............................................................................................................ 55 2.3 Defining ‘transformation’ ......................................................................................................... 56 2.4 Defining ‘active participation’ ................................................................................................. 59 Chapter Three: The challenges associated with applied theatre ........................................ 65 3.1 Interrogating applied theatre in relation to its transformative intention ........................... 66 3.1.1 The perspective of transformation ................................................................................. 67 3.1.2 The assessment of transformation ................................................................................ 70 3.1.3 Commissioning transformation ....................................................................................... 75 3.1.4 The sacrifices made to achieve transformation ........................................................... 78 3.1.5 Combining disparate forms of theatre to achieve transformation ............................. 82 3.2 Interrogating applied theatre in relation to active participation ......................................... 83 3.2.1 The scale of participation ................................................................................................ 84 3.2.2 Active- good, passive- bad.............................................................................................. 86 Chapter Four: The use of Shakespeare’s plays amidst marginalised communities ..... 91 5 4.1 Amateur Shakespeare ............................................................................................................ 92 4.2 Applied Shakespeare .............................................................................................................. 93 4.3 Community Shakespeare ....................................................................................................... 94 4.4. Shakespeare in penal settings ........................................................................................... 100 4.5. Shakespeare in therapeutic settings ................................................................................. 114 4.6 Shakespeare in Disability settings ...................................................................................... 123 Chapter Five: Prison Shakespeare ............................................................................................ 125 5.1 The history of prison theatre ................................................................................................ 126 5.2 The challenges of prison theatre ......................................................................................... 128 5.2.1 Freedom vs. incarceration ............................................................................................ 128 5.2.2 Performance and punishment ...................................................................................... 132 5.2.5 Theatre: an alternative response to crime .................................................................. 136 5.3 The history of Shakespeare in prison ................................................................................. 138 5.4 Shakespeare’s prison, prison Shakespeare: a Renaissance reading of Shakespeare’s prisons (through the play Measure for Measure) .................................................................... 142 5.5 Shakespeare’s criminals, criminal Shakespeare: a Renaissance