Applied and Social Theatre 2018

Full Name: Michael Carklin

Annual Conference Theme (if applicable): Theorising Openness, Risk and Vulnerability in Applied Theatre Practice

What were the main points that emerged from your WG this year?
The focus of the Applied and Social Theatre working group at the 2018 TaPRA conference in Aberystwyth was Theorising Openness, Risk and Vulnerability in Applied Theatre Practice. Convened by Zoe Zontou, Michael Carklin and Matt Jennings, we invited contributions that critically considered these three aspects and the interconnections between them.   The conference theme emerged from two sources: firstly, from discussion by group members at our interim event in Belfast (February 2018), and the previous TaPRA conference in Salford (August 2017), drawing out strands from presentations that seemed pertinent to research further. And secondly, in response to the recently published book edited by Professor Alice O’Grady, Risk, Participation and Performance Practice: critical vulnerabilities in a precarious world (2017). We were delighted to also welcome Alice O’Grady as the keynote speaker for our group for the Open Session at the conference.   Our working group presented 16 papers, with presenters ranged from early PhD researchers to experienced professors in our field, enabling supportive and inclusive discussions and debates.   Our first day got off to an exciting start with a performance by Aberystwyth-based independent artist and researcher, Jess Allen, presenting Drop in the Ocean: on performing emancipated environmentalism and becoming an ignorant activist. This performative start to the conference was a first for our working group and set an appropriate tone for the presentations to follow. Following Jess, our group had insight into the work of Rachel Parry (NUI Galway) and Speckled Egg Dance’s work exploring ideas of vulnerability, hesitancy, uncertainty and risk in their work. Our first session ended with an interactive and thought-provoking workshop led by Clark Baim (founding director of Geese Theatre Company co-director of the Birmingham Institute for Psychodrama) exploring his model of The Drama Spiral.   The first session of our second day offered three papers considering the idea of vulnerability in different applied performance contexts – Kay Hepplewhite (Northumbria) questioned the meaning of ‘vulnerable’ in relation to Curious Monkey’s Leaving project with young people from the looked-after system; Kate Massey-Chase (Exeter) considered the vulnerability and potency of autoethnographic research in applied theatre; and Cathy Sloan (RCSSD) shared her research on The Antidote and the creating of ‘recoverist’ performance in relation to addiction.   Our second session on Day 2 included four papers responding to the conference theme through highlighting diverse applied practices. Niamh Malone (Liverpool Hope) explored applied theatre in relation to dementia in the context of the city; Rachel Turner-King (Warwick) reported on her research on openness and care in Canley Youth Theatre; Karl Tizzard-Kleister (Ulster) explored applied drama in nursing pedagogy as in interdisciplinary approach for healthcare simulation; and Helen Shutt (Glasgow) shared her research on co-authorship and open texts in community contexts.   Our Open Panel on Day 3 offered a stimulating session from three leaders in our field: Alice O’Grady (Leeds) addressed ideas of risky aesthetics and critical vulnerabilities; Michael Finneran (Limerick) considered openness, engagement and survival in relation to a spectrum of theatre engagement; and Gary Anderson (Liverpool Hope) considered the idea of activism as vulnerable citizenship.   Our final working group session, which took place on Day 3 of the conference, offered a rich variety of perspectives including papers from Matt Smith (Portsmouth) who highlighted the risks of role play and simulations in work with students; Sarah Evans (Chester) sharing her research on the use of verbatim theatre in staging issues of sexual exploitation in schools; and Sofie de Smet (Ghent University and KU Leuven, Belgium) sharing her interdisciplinary research into modes of expression of experiences of collective violence in a participatory theatre project in Belgium.   The three days of presentations and discussions enabled a wide-ranging and thought-provoking engagement with contemporary applied and social theatre practices and thinking.  

What was discussed at your business meeting?

There were five key areas of discussion at the Applied and Social Theatre working group business meeting:

• A reflection on the sessions at the conference itself – there was general feeling that the theme had been a good one, and that quality of presentations and discussion had been high.
• We announced a new co-convenor, Dr Kay Hepplewhite, joining the team. Kay had been an active member of the working group and we are delighted that she is taking on this role.
• General TaPRA business was discussed (following up on the TaPRA Convenors meeting) including future working group involvement in contributing to judging of prizes and issues of working group legacy.
• In terms of legacy, it was proposed by Kate Massey-Chase that we consider producing a series of podcasts to go onto our working group website. It was agreed that this was an excellent idea and should be followed up.
• Themes for the next meeting were discussed, with ideas of leavings, endings and exits (broadly) finding general consensus.

Types of contributions:
Papers, provocations, a performance and a workshop

Number of formal contributors (those listed in book of abstracts) 16

Approx. overall number of delegates who attended your WG Sessions 18-24 delegates at each WG session and approx 35 at the Open session
Composition of WG (PG, ECR, etc.)
Of the presenters, approx 5 PG, 1 Prof and 10 MCRs

Did you have any non-UK participants? Yes

If your WG hosted an Open Panel, do you have any feedback?

Any additional points or feedback not covered above?