Navigating Adultism in Critical Youth Theatre Practice

Abstract

This chapter documents the learning from a four-year practice as research project with young people in the UK and Chile that explored the possibility of youth theatre practice as critical engagement. The research consisted of three youth theatre projects that were developed as a comparative study. These projects included the use of Legislative Theatre practice with Collective Encounters Youth Theatre in collaboration with the Youth Parliament in Liverpool, UK; work in a juvenile detention centre using theatre games to support popular education programmes in Santiago, Chile; and a collaboration with Cockburn School to explore how theatre can support student voice initiatives in Leeds, UK. Whilst the practice developed a range of reflections, this chapter is focused on an exploration of the role of adults and adult institutions in critical youth theatre practice. Understanding processes of change, developing allies and responsive practice are the main themes of reflection in advocating for youth theatre practice to develop critical understanding and political action in a context of adultism. The chapter concludes by regarding the reflections as contribution to the development of a politically informed youth theatre practice which does not seek to exclude adult institutions but subverts or develops alliances with governing adults.