Applied Theatre
Summary
Applied theatre encompasses performance practices devised outside of conventional stages to engage communities in collaborative enquiry and social action. By working in schools, prisons, community centres, heritage sites and public spaces, practitioners invite non-professional participants to shape narratives through role-play, improvisation and devised performance. The field operates at the nexus of drama, sociology, psychology and education, seeking to amplify marginalised voices, foster dialogue around contested issues and promote individual and collective empowerment. Common aims include peacebuilding in post-conflict settings, health education through therapeutic movement, critical reflection on cultural heritage and the development of civic literacy. Recent developments have integrated digital and telematic techniques to transcend geographic barriers, while participatory dramaturgies continue to evolve hybrid forms that blend research, creative practice and community engagement. Across diverse global networks, applied theatre remains a dynamic method for generating new knowledge, strengthening social bonds and reimagining the political potentials of performance.
Research from Nature Portfolio
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Applied Theatre publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in applied theatre across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Applied theatre: Performance activity conducted in non-traditional settings with social, educational or therapeutic objectives.
Telematic performance: A live or rehearsed event in which participants in separate locations are virtually co-present via networked audio-visual technologies.
Bodily immersion: A design principle that envelops participants in multi-sensory environments to heighten somatic engagement and co-presence.
Kinesthetic empathy: The capacity to understand and share another’s emotional state through the reciprocal perception of bodily movement.
Participatory dramaturgy: A collaborative process in which participants help to author or structure the narrative and aesthetic form of a performance.
References
- Dance as therapy: embodiment, kinesthetic empathy and the case of contact improvisation. Adaptive Behavior (2018).
- A Telepresence Stage: or how to create theatre in a pandemic – project report. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media (2021).
- Designing ‘Critical’ Heritage Experiences: Immersion, Enchantment and Autonomy. Archaeology International (2020).
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