Applied Theatre: Arts, Action, Change
Introduction
Interdisciplinarity is...
Interdisciplinarity is... “[being] able to speak back to [a discipline] and critique it and bring new ways of working to it.”
Bobby relates his experience with interdisciplinarity and theatre, especially teaching modules and courses that combine theatre with social issues such as the climate crisis. Bobby finds that while he feels “applied theatre by nature is interdisciplinary”, it can be difficult to define exactly what interdisciplinarity is, or to know how to use it in a class setting. Bobby’s methods have involved taking theatre and another discipline (which could include anything from refugee studies to languages) in order to bring a fresh perspective to existing studies, acting as both a guest and a critic. He says: “You need to be aware of what it means to be in that discipline or context, but equally, you should be pushing it and challenging it and bringing new things into it from theatre.”
Students Say...
The Applied Theatre course was very much shaped by student feedback; originally proposed names such as ‘performance and social justice’ were felt to be too obscure. In consequence, broadening the course to ‘applied theatre’ brings advantages such as allowing teachers to explore other areas of study, as well as different ways to structure the course.
Students have so far expressed appreciation for the opportunity to explore outside their comfort zone. In particular, students found work combining theatre and Global Sustainable Development engaging.
Dr Bobby Smith
Dr Bobby Smith is an Associate Professor of Theatre and Performance at the University of Warwick. He is the course leader of the ‘MA Applied Theatre: Arts, Action, Change’ course. Bobby has worked extensively as a workshop leader and consultant creating artistic projects to address social issues.
See Bobby’s full bio here.
Highlights
“You need to be aware of what it means to be in that discipline or context. But equally, you should be pushing it and challenging it and bringing new things into it from theatre.”
“Maybe I could move beyond that teacher-student dynamic and treat people more as colleagues and co-artists.”
“The idea of borrowing from other places opens up possibilities for [students] and allows them to see the role that theatre and performance can play in society, in a number of ways.”
“To not always know everything is a really powerful thing… It keeps you fresh.”
Further Resources
Curious to learn more?
Please find information on Applied Theatre at Warwick below:
- MA in Applied Theatre: Arts, Action, Change
- Applied Theatre module on the Theatre and Performance Studies BA course
- Applied Theatre and Peacebuilding
- The Catalogue of Imagined Provences (Final Report)
You can also contact Bobby: bobby.smith@warwick.ac.uk