Conclusions
In Stuart Bennett’s estimate[25] there is more work in the area of applied theatre than there is in the mainstream: if that is true, then if we regard the social aspects of theatre as an economic activity it becomes important to emphasise this aspect to young people in training; and as part of widening participation, to encourage underrepresented groups such as working class and ethnic minority young people to see a future in this area.
The measures of value we have observed in Chapter Two seem to hold up as valid: aesthetics, social value, and economic viability. Any project can be subjected to this analysis, though it is probably important that we do not expect every show to conform strictly to a full measure in each area, particularly in a development phase.
I am conscious, in having completed this extended essay, that although analysis has been present, that it has not been at the fore of the exercise, as one might expect from a Masters’ assignment. My concerns as a practitioner, both of theatre and education, are more to provide a series of starting points, and something of a taxonomy.
There are areas I would wish to expand and develop. Theatre in prisons is not well represented here, even within the range of activity under inspection. The whole area of commercial working class entertainment, as mentioned above, should be brought into the survey. The connection of pantomime, clowning, music hall and variety as a living tradition, with strong roots in working class culture, should be seen as part of this exercise; as should the other uses of theatre technologies.
The issue, at the end of this survey, is what it demonstrates. Firstly, despite a reputation that is often poor, Arts Council England does seem to be having some effect as a change manager. The methodology is often poor; and gives the impression of disengagement and patrician aloofness; but clearly there are people there who are doing great work. Secondly, there is a broad and extensive movement of practitioners who are passionate and dedicated to their work. Not outlined within the survey, but anecdotal evidence suggests many ‘mainstream’ artists have either moved into social theatre, or manage a mixed practice.
The third area is one which I think comes from the breadth of the survey, showing parallel trend in a number of areas: the reflection of a changing society; one of less deference, where hierarchy is giving way to networking; engagement rather than imposition; and a blurring of the distinction between professional, volunteer and amateur. This has implications for all those who organise, and I would argue for those who create, the social theatre of today. Clay Shirky indicates, as quoted in Chapter 6, the distinction between consumer and producer is now blurred in cyberspace; by analogy, the distiction in the physical world can now be drawn between performances which, once directed, are now being increasingly curated; content may be as much in the hands of the (former) spectator, as of the act-or. Structure is as important as the content, and we might echo McLuhan in arguing for live performance as much as mediated, that the medium IS the message.
1 Bibliography
1.1 Web video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6LyyjzYuFU Richard Florida’s Who’s Your City? Interview with Allan Greig on TVO Channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZHRKLTRDto Luminocity light show, Albert Dock 16 August 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peCHOcQLKqY Luminocity Light Show and fireworks Liverpool 15 08 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akdrtwVoj2w (Luminocity 16 Aug 2009 at Royal Albert Dock Liverpool)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepZ-X1l-aQ Longline: Welfare State International
24 October 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP3fZp4UM2E Extreme Morris Dancing 28 June 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ennn1I2izvA NAYT Chief Executive Jill Adamson’s welcome to Raising the Game – NAYT’s national training event. 7 May 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOgv91qQyJc Augusto Boal (April 16, 1931 – May 2, 2009) – PART 1 06 May 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCwPQNw1fxQ Nitro, Mass Carib 07 September 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2KR76V0-Q4, Nitro, The Wedding Dance 20 Feb 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyI78ZFo–Y Rider Spoke by Blast Theory 14 June 2009
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uploaded 2.11.09
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XugB_yE_ Trafalgar Sq Big Freeze 20 Feb 2008
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html Technology Education Design conference, Monterey California Feb 2006
1.2 Web references
1.2.1 Arts Council England
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication_archive/what-people-want-from-the-arts/
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication_archive/arts-council-of-englands-national-policy-for-theatre-in-england Online, January 2000, p2. Checked 5/10/09
www.artscouncil.org.uk/artsdebate
Arts Council Whose theatre? Report ACE, 2006.
ACE: What people want from the arts. ACE, online March 2008 http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication_archive/what-people-want-from-the-arts/ 5/10/09
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication_archive/strategy-and-report-on-street-arts/
www.artscouncil.org.uk/downloads/GET_IN_evaluation.pdf GET IN 3 day youth theatre conference in Liverpool 14th- 17th
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-work/get-in-international-conference/ Jul 2008
www.artscouncil.org.uk/documents/projects/1510.pdf The Eclipse Report 2001
1.2.2 Websites
http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/B/bigart/
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http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/48070/extras/gallery.html
http ://excalibur.bnp.org.uk/acatalog/Great_White_Records.html http://www.folkagainstfascism.com/
http://www.abbotsbromley.com/horn_dance
http://www.morrismovie.com/ A Life With Bells On 2009
http://www.rio-carnival.net/ 24 Sep 2009
http://www.socanews.com/sol/gallery/carnivals/3773-page1.shtml
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http://www.walktheplank.co.uk/company/history accessed 2 Nov 09
http://www.artcarparade.co.uk/
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accessed 22/10/09
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http://www.polkatheatre.com/about_company_history.asp
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http://www.theatre-centre.co.uk/index.php?pid=16 22.oct09
http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/index.cfm/page/content.index.cfm/cid/41/navid/35/parentid/10
http://www.nationaldrama.co.uk/docs/IDEASurvey.doc..
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1.2.3 Web Articles
Adams-Spink, Geoff: Dirty talk for blind people BBC News website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8144793.stm Page last updated at 09:41 GMT, Thursday, 16 July 2009 10:41 UK
Baldwin Chris “Participatory Arts and the Agile Citizen” on “Sidcup Papers” http://theatrefutures.org.uk/sidcup-papers/participatory-arts-and-the-agile-citizen posted January 13th, 2008
Bennett, Stuart: Drama and Theatre in the UK educational system. In “National Drama”
Bond, Edward http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2008/jan/03/theatre
Edge-Online: Global game sales overtake DVD/Blu-ray
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=206634 Monday 26-Jan-2009
Field Andy: Feminist theatre is a scarce commodity Guardian Theatre Blog Posted June 4 2008
Florida, Richard: http://creativeclass.com/richard_florida/books/the_rise_of_the_creative_class/
Gardner Nicky and Kries Susanne: “Thinking about festivals” in
Hidden Europe 14 (May 2007) http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk/festivals.php Displayed online: Monday 16 April, 2007
Gardner Lyn blog The Guardian May 21 2007 www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2007/may/21/festivalfatigue
Gizby , John Larger Than Life http://gizblog.typepad.com/gizblog/theatre/ November 01, 2007
Greer Bonnie, in Catalyst 4/4/07, CRE
Gupta Camelia: A TOWN, A PHARAOH & A BURNING MAN – IT’S THE MARGATE EXODUS 06/10/2006 www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/exh_gfx_en/ART40795.html
WSI Archive 1968-2006 : www.welfare-state.org
Hill, Roger: http://www.nayt.org.uk/support/historicalandpoliticalperspective.htm
Hughes, Jenny and Wilson, Karen: Research into the impact of youth theatre, Centre for Applied Theatre Research (University of Manchester) 2002
Kolawole Helen: Look who’s taking the stage http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2003/jul/26/whoswhoinbritishtheatre.featureThe Guardian, Saturday 26 July 2003
Jackson, Adrian: www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/
Jeyasingh Shobana in Catalyst 4/4/7, CRE
Maclaurin, Alison: www.scenography- international.com/journal/issue2/theatredesign.pdf, 2007 .
McManus, Sean http://www.sean.co.uk/a/science/history_of_the_internet.shtm
O’Neill Sean, Woolcock Nicola: “Extremists hijacked play protest” The Times December 22, 2004 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article404969.ece
Panos David Creative Clusters & Creative London http://thelondonparticular.org/items/creativeclusters.html Summer 2004
Riley, Jack The Independent online http://jackriley.independentminds.livejournal.com/17078.html Thursday, 22 October 2009 at 05:18 pm
Robinson Mark http://artscounselling.blogspot.com/ 6/10/09, Chief executive, Arts council England North east Accessed 20/10/09
Siertz, Aleks http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/06/augusto-boal-obituary
Smith, Alistair: Westminster Theatre delayed until 2011
http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/25814/exclusive-westminster-theatre-delayed-until 8 October 2009
1.3 Books
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Bennett, Stuart: Theatre for Children and Young People in the UK: 50 Years of Professional Theatre in the UK Aurora, 2005
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De Certeau, M. The Practice of Everyday Life. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1998.
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Kershaw, Baz: The Politics of Performance: Radical Theatre as Cultural Intervention Routledge 1992
Kuppers, Petra Community Performance: An Introduction Routledge 2007
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Department for Communities and Local Government Sources of resentment, and perceptions of ethnic minorities among poor white people in England Department for Communities and Local Government, 7 January 2009
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1.4 Articles
Keaney, Emily: The arts debate: Arts community and stakeholder findings. ACE August 2007
Bunting, Catherine: The arts debate: Stage one findings and next
Steps. ACE Feb 2007
Mackintosh Genista, “The Stage” Wednesday 30 July 2008
Jowell Tessa: Government and the Value of Culture DCMS May 2004
Edgar David, Saturday May 22, 2004 The Guardian
McMaster B: Supporting Excellence in the Arts. DCMS, Jan 2008 p10
ACE: Strategy and report on street Arts April 2002
Wooster, Roger: Emotional involvement or critical detachment? Heathcote’s links with the ideas of Stanislavski, Brecht and Boal ‘Drama magazine ‘ Summer 2004
Arts Council England: Paving the Way Jan 2007
Jenner, Caryl: Advice booklet for actors new to working with Unicorn, about 1970
1.5 Conferences.
Larger Than Life: the pleasures and perils of large-scale producing. Monday 29 October 2007, Smithfield, London EC1 www.artichoke.uk.com
Street Arts Meeting Brighton, May 2007
