Theatre and society: international strategies for connecting theatre and social issues
The relationship between theatre and society has been a topic of discussion and research for many years now. Important art movements, such as the Commedia dell’Arte, Russian Realism, the epic theatre of Bertolt Brecht or the Theatre of the Oppressed of Augusto Boal emerged as a response to theatre that appeared to be too far removed from society. Examples from recent Dutch theatre history are the political theatre (vormingstheater) from the 1970s or the current renewed interest in community theatre.
There is also a need nowadays for a reassessment of the relationship between theatre and society. Not only because the scope for making art is under pressure, but also because society itself appears to be adrift and theatre can play a role in providing clarification and direction. Theatre teachers, who are trained to bridge the gap between the arts and society play an important role in this regard.
‘Theatre and society’ investigates different strategies for connecting theatre and society these days. Research material includes three case studies from the international art project 10CHILDREN. 10CHILDREN is an international multi-year art project that is taking place in 10 countries throughout the world. with the aim being to give the most vulnerable people a voice and face with the aid of projects by and with professional artists. The project is taking place from 2021 up to and including 2024. The overarching theme is ‘poverty’. In each country, this topic is linked to a specific theme. Within the first three projects of 10CHILDREN, which took place in 2021, case studies were set up in: Cleveland (Ohio), Cape Town (South Africa) and Cucumba (Brazil).
Dennis Meyer
Dennis Meyer works as a freelance theatre professional/writer for theatre institutions. In addition, he is theatre teacher (Theatre in Education - Accelerated programme at the AHK and the Directing programme at Toneelacademie Maastricht) and a mentor to young theatre professionals. He regularly advises the Performing Arts Fund NL (Fonds Podiumkunsten) on grant applications. He is co-initiator of the international art project 10CHILDREN. Before this, he was, among other things, project leader of Festival De Basis 2013 at the former military airbase in Soesterberg He set up the theatre production company Het Lab, theatre and dance for a young audience, and worked with many theatre makers who currently play an important role in the theatre landscape. In the early years of HETPALEIS in Antwerp, he was Head of Dramaturgy there. In the 1990s, he was discipline specialist in youth theatre at the Theater Instituut Nederland (Netherlands Theatre Institute). He advised for the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, AFK), Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund (Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds), the LIRA Fonds (Lira Fund) and the Council for Culture (Raad voor Cultuur), and was active within a large number of boards. He had an extensive network within the professional theatre circuit. His areas of expertise include general mentorship within the cultural sector, policy development, writing grant applications, strengthening internal organisational forms/boards, talent development, innovation within theatre, youth theatre and playwriting.
Dennis Meyer studied Dutch Language and Literature and Theatre Studies. He obtained his Master’s degree in 1983.
Contact: dennis.meyer@ahk.nl
Publications and presentations
- Meyer, D. (2023) Wij in wording: een analysemodel voor interculturele theaterprojecten. Amsterdam NL: Lectoraat Kunsteducatie, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten.
- Dag van de Onderzoeker AHK (2021). Presentatie Intercultureel Theater, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten.
- Meyer, D. Eigenaarschap als theatrale kracht. In: Theaterjaarboek 2018/2019: 50 jaar na Aktie Tomaat (2019) https://www.theaterkrant.nl/tm-artikel/eigenaarschap-als-theatrale-kracht/
- Meyer. D. (red.). Tomaat in perspectief. Theatervernieuwing in de jaren ’60 en ’70 (Amsterdam, 1994)