This page provides information and resources about using drama, theatre, and spoken word as a creative method for use in research, community engagement, and dialogue creation. The pages includes details of the drama and theatre mini-workshop held in London on the 11th of May 2016 as part of the BSUFN, FRC and CAWR workshop. In addition, there are links to other projects which have used, or are using, drama and performance elements to address food-related issues, and a bibliography of publications and other resources which are relevant.
All images and photographs are courtesy of and copyright to: the Food Research Collaboration, Brighton and Sussex Universities Food Network, the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, and individual participants of the workshop held on the 11th of May 2016 at City University London.
Outputs from Workshop in London in May 2016
Participants in the drama and theatre workshop use a ‘fishbowl’ exercise to create dialogue
During the workshop on the 11th of May 2016, the drama a theatre group began with a ‘fishbowl’ exercise. During this three people sat in the centre to discuss food-related issues, with others watching. Any person was able to leave the fishbowl at any time but someone from the outer circle must then take up the vacant seat in the centre.
The conversations had during this exercise were then used to develop four short performances created by small groups.
Each of the four short performances where shown to the group, and one was selected to be shown to all of the creative methods workshop participants during the feedback session. Through the setting of a Council meeting about a proposal for a new restaurant, this performance addressed how some people can feel excluded from joining conversations in some spaces and the social and cultural differences in relationships with food.
More information about the creative methods and food workshop is available in the report of the day, including additional details about the drama and theatre mini-workshop. Follow this link to read the Creative Methods Workshop Report (opens pdf).
The day ended with a spoken word performance from ChriS JaM of one of his own poems on the topic of food.
Bibliography and Other Resources
Our Food – a community-based project in North East England which used drama to explore food issues.
The Crunch – An initiative being run by The Wellcome Trust throughout 2016 which uses elements of threatre to build dialogue and engagment with issues related to food.
Remaking Society – A project under the AHRC Connected Communities initiative. This project worked with four arts a media organisations in North East England. These groups produced live artworks, performances, and radio programmes to build conversations about the places they live and the future for their communities.
Jones, K. (2012) Connecting Research with Communities through Performative Social Science, The Qualitative Report 2012, 17(18), 1-8
Roberts, B. (2008) Performative Social Science: A Consideration of Skills, Purpose and Context, Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 9(2), Art.58
Brighton and Sussex Universities Food Network 