Topic 5 of 6 · Form 6
Theatre for development and community theatre
Theatre used as a tool for education, participation and social change in communities – on health (HIV and AIDS, cholera), gender-based violence, child rights, environment, governance and peace-building.
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Theatre for development (TfD)
Theatre used as a tool for education, participation and social change in communities – on health (HIV and AIDS, cholera), gender-based violence, child rights, environment, governance and peace-building.
Approaches
- Agit-prop (messages delivered to the audience) versus participatory approaches.
- Research in the community, identifying issues with community members, creating performances together, performing, and facilitating discussion and action.
- Forum theatre (Boal) and community dialogue.
Theatre in Zimbabwe's communities
Community theatre groups and organisations (such as ZACT) have used drama in health campaigns, schools and rural development; school drama festivals; church and NGO drama programmes.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths: accessible, engaging, uses local languages and cultural forms, encourages dialogue. Limitations: messages may be imposed, lack of follow-up, funding dependence, censorship and political sensitivities.
Evaluating impact
Audience feedback, behaviour change indicators, community participation and sustainability.
Check yourself
- What is theatre for development?
- Give two advantages of using local languages in community theatre.
- State one limitation of theatre for development.
Show answers
- The use of theatre to educate, involve and empower communities to address social issues.
- Any two: wider understanding, cultural relevance, community ownership, more participation.
- Any one: imposed messages, lack of follow-up, funding dependence, censorship, short-term impact.
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