Theatre and Debate
One of the things I've asked our Creative Associates Catherine and Mathilde to look at is how we create 'theatre of debate'. In recent years there has been a fascinating movement in theatre around debate, discussion and exchange of knowledge. Well known examples include Open Space workshops, particularly the 'Devoted and Disgruntled' sessions that Improbable Theatre have run. In Berlin, one of the most fascinating companies is the Mobile Academy, which runs the 'Blackmarket of Useful and Non-Useful Knowledge' where, rather than watching a show, each audience member books a series of 15 minute one-to-one sessions with experts in every imaginable subject (and remember we are all experts in something, so this is not an academic project). In New York, Foundry Theatre has been combining some of the best experimental theatre in the world with a series of political and social 'town hall' meetings for many years - building a different kind of theatre community. I'd be really interested to hear people's ideas and experiences around theatre and debate.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Finlayson on
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Dear Dominic, Thanks for the reply - I know the K-Punk blog; there is, I think, a lot to be found in that sort of literature on music, affective experiences and so on. In political theory discussion about theatre is scattered - it is there right at the start in Plato (who wants to subordinate it to philosophy), in St. Augustine (who was an actor and spent the rest of his life repudiating the immorality of the theatre even as he drew on the experience to think through the art of preaching) or, to skip ahead, in Rousseau who wrote an angry essay criticising the idea that theatre was a good way to inspire moral virtue (for lots of reasons but partly because he thought it substituted for real moral concern). There has been an upswing in interest recently and there is a book just out by the French philosopher Jacques Ranciere called The Emancipated Spectator which is in part a reconsideration of what radical political theatre might be (beyond Brecht etc.).
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National Theatre Wales,
The Centre for the Study of Culture and Politics (Swansea University)
&
The Callaghan Centre for the study of Conflict, Power and Empire (Swansea University)
present:
THE DRAMAS OF POLITICS
Publics, Performances, Participation and Persuasion
A day of discussion and debate
April 23rd
9.30am-3.30pm
Reading Room, The Old Library, Alexandra Road, Swansea.
With an election campaign underway – bringing with it all sorts of performances of leadership, authority, authenticity and honesty – now is a good time to think about the theatre of politics and the politics of theatre.
This conference/workshop will be an opportunity for drama and theatre practitioners, artists, political theorists, philosophers, critics, historians and others to reflect on political theatre (its content, form, past, present and future) and on the theatre of politics.
Focusing in particular on the concepts of public, performance, participation and persuasion our discussions will also address questions about the nature of contemporary public space and spectacle and how dramatic arts can contribute to understanding, or transforming them; about the uses of theatre as a way of thinking about and provoking politics; and about the performances of politicians and how dramatic practices can illuminate them.
This event is open to all and is free to attend, but registration is requested (please see below).
Programme
9.30-10.00 Arrival and Coffee
10.00-12.00 The Politics of Theatre
In the first half of the day we shall reflect on the politics of theatre. Questions that might be addressed include: What forms can political theatre take? Must a political theatre adopt a particular sort of dynamic or open relationship with its audience? What are the politics of non-political theatre? What kinds of public does theatre bring into being? How can theatre explore and make more clearly known relations between peoples, publics, places and spaces?
Discussion will be free flowing but with contributions from Alan Finlayson (Swansea University), Prof. David George (Swansea University), John McGrath (National Theatre Wales), Rowan O’Neill, Adam Somerset and others.
12.00-1.00 Lunch
1.00–3.00 The Theatre of Politics
This half of the day will focus on the theatre of politics. As the General Election campaign comes to a peak what kinds of performances are our politicians putting on? Is it helpful to see politics in terms of performances? How has (and how might) theatre responded to the spectacle of contemporary politics and can it propose alternative kinds of participation and persuasion?
Discussion will be free flowing but with contributions from Prof. Nikki Cooper (Swansea University), Stephen Donnelly (ShellShock Theatre), Andy Field (Forest Fringe) Mathilde Lopez (National Theatre Wales) and others.
3.00-3.30 Discussion of Future Activities
About the Venue
The venue is the reading room of the Old Library on Alexandra Road, Swansea, W Glam SA1. Formerly Swansea Central Lending and Reference Library. It is now part of Swansea Metropolitan University’s Welsh School of Architectural Glass and has also been a venue for drama ranging from BBC Wales’ Doctor Who to Volcano Theatre’s ‘Shelf Life’, in April 2010.
THE DRAMAS OF POLITICS
Publics, Performances, Participation and Persuasion
April 23rd
Reading Room, The Old Library, Alexandra Road, Swansea.
REGISTRATION
The workshop/conference is free but in order to plan for the right number we need people to register their intention to attend. Please complete the form below and return to: a.finlayson@swansea.ac.uk
Participant information
Name:________________________________________________________________
Affiliation/Organisation (if any): _________________________________________________________
Contact Address:_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Email: ______________________________________________________________________
Would you like to be contacted about future events around the themes of drama/theatre and politics (please indicate): Yes / No
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Permalink Reply by Dominic Campbell on
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Hi
can't make next weekend, but can i engage online at that stage or in future?
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Hi Dominic,
I am sure that there will be future opportunities. There are no plans for an online involvement in the day itself but on the agenda is discussion of future activities and that may include online and other activities. I will let you know through this forum.
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