ABSTRACT
Ageism has become a serious social challenge as prejudice and stereotyping of people of a certain age can negatively affect their physical and mental well-being with consequences such as social isolation and loneliness. For women, the combination of ageism and sexism in society can be increasingly taxing unless they find a way of remaining active in society. Research shows that participation in drama training and theatre programmes positively impacts older adults' psychological well-being particularly in the dimension of personal growth. This chapter discusses how an intensive six-week theatre-devising process based on the six female senior participants' life stories and reflections on life helped to promote senior citizens' vitality, experience and their contribution to society. The project's objective was to offer an opportunity to senior citizens attending an Active Ageing Centre in Malta to experience a participatory theatre process as seniors worked alongside professional theatre-makers and artists. Data was collected pre-intervention, throughout the process (participants and theatre practitioners) as well as post-intervention (including audience). The results suggest that authentic positive ageing examples through theatre performances might expand the discourse about ageing and challenge societal perceptions as to how seniors should live and behave, thus helping to combat ageism.
