Applied and Social Theatre 2018

Full Name: Michael Carklin

Venue and Date: Queens University, Belfast - Saturday 24th February 2018

What were the main points that emerged from your interim event this year?
This interim event was held in collaboration with the AHRC “Objects with Objectives” International Research Network. As part of a two-day event, the Research Network hosted an open session on Friday 23 February 2018, and our working group hosted the day on Saturday 24th February. The focus was on New Materiality, and in particular Puppets and Objects in relation to Applied and Social Theatre. This proved to be a significant theme for the event as an area that is not usually given much attention in our field. Collaborating with the international research network allowed for rich discussions and sharing of practice. There was a strong theme of applying theatre and performance in health and well-being contexts, including in training and simulation activities for nurses, and in supporting people facing different health issues. The real contribution of the event was in thinking through the place and potential of objects and puppets within applied theatre practice and how this extends the ways we might conceptualise this area of work. Presenters included: * David Grant (Queens University) who hosted the event and presented the Friday session, sharing training videos of the network, and hosting a Skype conversation with international partners; * Dr Matt Jennings, Pat Deeny, Karl Tizzard-Kleister, Karen Torley and UU Nursing colleagues and students  (Ulster University) demonstrating applied puppetry in medical simulation for nursing students; * Karl Tizzard-Kleister theorising the use of medical mannequins in applied performance work; * Cathy Sloane (RCSSD) investigating affective inter-relation with the objects of addiction in applied theatre-making; * Dr Kay Hepplewhite (Northumbria) considering a material approach to art with people with dementia; * Emma Fisher (Mary Immaculate College Limerick) engaging with new materialism to tell an anthropocentric tale of her identifying as disabled; * Dr Persphone Sextou (Newman) presenting on applied theatre and puppetry in child healthcare; * Dr Cariad Astles (RCSSD/Exeter) considering ‘staging applied-ness’: grappling with a social mess through traditional puppetry; * Dr Matt Smith (Portsmouth) on working with students in applied puppetry.

Types of contributions (papers, performances, workshops, etc.)
Papers, performance, sharing of videos

Number of Delegates: 15

How many were new to TaPRA? 5

Did you have any non-UK participants? Yes

Any additional points or feedback not covered above?

Overall budget awarded: £200

Amount spent: £200

Breakdown of costs:

£200 awarded by TaPRA out of a £600 total budget. The reminder covered by the international research network and Queens University Belfast. The £200 was used as travel bursaries to enable two postgraduate working group members to attend the event.