Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

Using forum theatre as university widening participation (WP) for social wellbeing agendas

Prior, R. W. (2010) Using forum theatre as university widening participation (WP) for social wellbeing agendas. Journal of Applied Arts and Health. 1(2), pp. 179-203. 2040-2457.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: This paper traces a case study of how participatory theatre is used to make a positive impact on the widening participation (WP) agenda for one particular university in the United Kingdom. The WP agenda is a philosophical position taken by the UK government to restructure access to Higher Education and is underpinned by notions of equality and diversity to improve social health. The project titled ‘H.E. for me…?’ is a joint venue between academic staff and students on a BA (Hons) Acting degree programme and several external partners. ‘H.E. for me…?’ aims to provide sixth-formers with helpful information and insights into life at university. This innovative approach to dealing with WP uses the well established convention of Forum Theatre in fulfilling objectives which give young people the opportunity to explore and interrogate HE related issues. Offered are accounts of the ‘lead in’ period and the ‘creative engagement’ phase of the project as well as the research outcomes. This paper identifies the impact of, and the lessons emerging from this early phase of what is intended to become an on-going programme and raises several pertinent issues relating to the ‘researchability’ of applied theatre
Uncontrolled Keywords: Boal, A. (1992), Games for actors and non-actors, London: Routledge. —— (2002), The rainbow of desire: The Boal method of theatre and therapy, London: Routledge. Burton, B. and O’Toole, J. (2005), ‘Enhanced Forum Theatre: Where Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed Meets Process Drama in the Classroom’, NJ Drama Australia Journal, 29: 2, pp. 49–57. Gibbes, Edward (2003), Whose university place is it anyway? Observer.co.uk, Sunday 9 March, unpaginated, http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/mar/09/uk.highereducation. Accessed 8 June 2009. Observer (The) (2000), The war of Laura’s rejection, Sunday 28 May, unpaginated, http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/may/28/highereducation.oxbridgeandelitism1. Accessed 8 June 2009. Pammenter, David (2006), ‘Devising for TIE’, in Tony Jackson (ed.), Learning through theatre: new perspectives on theatre in education, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 53–70. Prior, R.W. (2009), BECOME Project: H.E. for me …? Pilot Project Evaluation Report, unpublished, Northampton: The University of Northampton. Robinson, Ken (2006), ‘Evaluating TIE’, in Tony Jackson (ed.), Learning through theatre: new perspectives on theatre in education, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 251–265.
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN3171 Drama in education
L Education > LC Special aspects of Education > LC1200 Inclusive education
P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN2049 Theater and society. Applied drama
Creators: Prior, Ross W
Publisher: Intellect
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: Faculties > Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology > Journalism, Media & Performance
Date: 1 July 2010
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 179-203
Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Applied Arts and Health
Volume: 1
Number: 2
Language: English
ISSN: 2040-2457
Status: Published / Disseminated
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/3169

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