Drama and theatre education

Abstract

This thesis attempts to identify the potential of establishing Theatre in Education, a professional theatre work with an educational purpose, as an effective medium for children in pre-school and primary education in Greece. It examines the possibilities and problems inherent in this potential given the current circumstances in theatre, education and the wider social context of contemporary Greece. Original data was gathered using survey questionnaires, interviews and through observation of Greek children’s theatre productions and British TiE programmes. This research study extracts lessons from the British experience towards the introduction of Hellenic TiE by overviewing the political factors that affected the British TiE medium in its short history. It investigates how Theatre Education is practiced in Greek schools; if the current children’s theatre practice in Greece is developing aspects of TiE; how these aspects could develop into something closer to TiE; and how Hellenic TiE could contribute to the provision of professional theatre experiences in education. The present research study offers a pragmatic approach to the emergence of Hellenic TiE. The nature of Hellenic TiE is envisaged and defined as something that borrows elements from the British TiE previous and more recent practice and combines both British and Greek theatre elements. This thesis concludes with a proposal addressed to theatre practitioners and theatre companies in Greece who might want to initiate TiE, where it discusses the politics of introducing TiE to Greece and a series of problematics that the emerging TiE teams would need to cope. It envisages how TiE is happening in Greece by arguing for the learning potential of the TiE medium and proposes solutions to some problems for the establishment of Greek TiE companies. Practical recommendations are finally made for the implementation of a pilot TiE programme within regional public theatres (DHPETHE) and private companies in both the immediate term and the long-term perspective.