ABSTRACT
Theatre in education, prison theatre, reminiscence theatre and Theatre of the Oppressed are some of the more popular theatre practices included under the umbrella term, applied theatre. Ackroyd (2000) has argued that these practices share an intentionality to provoke or shape social change. Although only recently named within the academy, the origins of applied theatre can be traced to the ‘soil of progressive, radical people’s movements in various places around the world’ (Prentki and Preston 2009: 13). The pedagogic and aesthetic intents of applied theatre practice have in large measure been shaped by the left-wing, progressive politics of these movements. This chapter starts with a brief examination of the major influences on the pedagogy and aesthetics of theatre in education. Several case studies of TIE projects in earthquake zones then explore how relationships that exist between the pedagogical and aesthetic intents have shaped and formed each project.
