Psychological Dangers in Participatory Theatre

Abstract

The emerging popularity of participatory theatre encourages audiences to immerse their senses in the art form. My research aimed to analyze how artists can make their participatory performances psychologically accessible without compromising their creative intentions. The awareness surrounding mental health and psychological safety has grown alongside audiences' and artists' desire to engage with art intimately; thus, artists are encouraged to find a creative way to implement safeguards.
 My research began with conducting interviews with mental health professionals and studying texts on psychology. Understanding how emotions are constructed allowed me to explore how an individual's relationship with danger can fluctuate between feelings of exhilaration or the fear of harm. I analyzed Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty theory and defined the emerging theory of Theatre of Care. I investigated where the danger lies within these theories and how audience emotions can be exploited for the sake of immersion. To provide examples, I conducted case studies of various participatory performances I have attended and researched to illustrate successful applications of audience safety and potential dangers. Finally, I highlighted dramaturgical elements to incorporate psychological safeguards in participatory performance.
 My results suggest that individuals construct their emotions from past experiences. Theatre of Cruelty and Theatre of Care theories represent how, although marketed as different audience experiences, they possess many opportunities for triggering psychological harm due to the immersive representation of reality. Consequently, artists must implement psychological safeguards, both dramaturgically integrated into the performance and externally available, to reduce the likelihood of psychological harm and trauma.