Theatre, and in particular popular theatre processes, have something to offer those who are poorly skilled in the art of conflict. It offers, we argue, a useful model for practicing conflict constructively and creatively. This project hopes to contribute to the desire of many feminist activists to work more constructively, affiliatively and pleasurably with conflict and tension. We aimed to engage these human qualities in the most flexible and responsive way. We wondered if the quality of conflict that is imbedded in many theatre forms, that is a source of creation in the process of theatre making, might assist in the goal to work pleasurably with conflict and tension.
Popular theatre encompasses community education, community organizing and theatre making.
It is chosen by people involved with education and development because of its participatory processes that recognize cultural forms, which engage body and mind, and which use specific stories to illuminate communal situations. A space is created where groups and individuals can afford to work on dangerous issues. This project explores theatre s potential to create a radical kind of empathy, one that recognizes the danger of story telling and the inequality of risk in the story telling process, one that creates spaces and relationships where stories are told and heard. The idea of this project was originally conceived by Jan and Shauna who came together from theatre and adult education with a desire to learn from each other and work with community. The project facilitation and coordination was greatly enhanced when we were joined by two graduate students, Sheila James and Caroline White, who came with substantial knowledge, skills and experience in popular theatre and popular education processes.