Introducing Responsivity and the Applied Theatre Practitioner

Abstract

The opening chapter of The Applied Theatre Artist outlines the original concept of ‘responsivity’ that analyses the expertise, skills and qualities of applied theatre practitioners who work with participants from the community. Discussion of their identity synthesises applied theatre literatures with the voices of real-world artists drawn from reflective dialogue research. Responsivity outlines a new vocabulary: ‘awareness’, ‘anticipation’, ‘adaptation’, ‘attunement’ and ‘respond-ability’. Key themes and theoretical reference points such as empathy, dialogue and feminist perspectives introduce ideas that reoccur throughout the book, examining projects in the context of mental health, youth theatre, school and care home, with women refugees, learning-disabled actors and older people in care. A concluding image of ‘grafted’ as an alternative to ‘hybrid’ encapsulates the book’s emphasis on the artist roots for applied theatre practitioners.