Abstract
This chapter sets the scene for the book. It starts with a brief historical perspective on young people as theatre audiences, then moves to their contemporary ambiguous and problematic position within this ‘cultural conversation’. It describes the germination of the TheatreSpace research project and the questions which drove it: questions relating to the theatres themselves and young people’s access to their companies and productions; questions relating to the influences of the adult professionals in both the theatre and education industries which impact upon their theatregoing; and questions relating to the nature of the theatre experience itself for young audiences. Some of the key findings are foreshadowed. All of this is given direction in the final section, which introduces the shape of the book.
People love events – they love performances, they love music – and I think Australians are great entertainers.
Cate Blanchett
I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.
Oscar Wilde
Nobody thinks the arts for young people are a bad thing – the problem is getting the people who make the decisions to change their policies and their practices to include the arts.
Ken Robinson
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INTERLUDE
INTERLUDE
1.1.1 Case Studies 1 and 2
CASE 1: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
COMPANY: Queensland Theatre Company.
VENUE: Playhouse Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
CASE STUDY PERFORMANCE: 7.30 pm, Thursday 23 October 2008.
SEASON: 16 October – 1 November 2008.
KEY INFORMANTS:
Michael Gow, Director.
Katie Stewart, Education Officer.
AUDIENCES DETAILS: The case study participants were students of two school groups, from an outer-suburban state school and an inner-city boys’ Catholic day school, as well as 9 independent audience members in the target age range.
Pre-show audience surveys | 113 |
Post-show interviewees | 104 |
6 month interviewees | 8 |
RESEARCH TEAM:
Partner Chief Investigator: Bruce Burton.
Chief Investigator: Penny Bundy.
Lead Research Assistant: Patrick Mitchell.
State Project Officer: Andrea Burton.
Research Assistants: Ali Clinch, Amy Bradney-George.
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Central to the findings of this case study was the importance of the teachers in fostering a love of theatre and an informed interest in it amongst their students.
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The young audiences responded particularly to the humour, physical action and dynamic interactions of the play.
CASE 2: Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome: A Shakespeare Commentary by Heiner Müller
COMPANY: Bell Shakespeare with Queensland Theatre Company.
VENUE: Playhouse, Sydney Opera House.
CASE STUDY PERFORMANCE: 8 pm, Tuesday 28 October 2008.
SEASON: 22 October – 22 November 2008.
KEY INFORMANTS:
John Bell, Artistic Director Bell Shakespeare and lead actor in Titus.
Michael Gow, Artistic Director, QTC & Director, Titus and John Bell (radio interview).
Robert Kemp, Designer (company video).
Linda Lorenza, Head of Education, Bell Shakespeare.
English teacher, inner-city TAFE College.
AUDIENCES DETAILS: The majority of the audience of about 120 comprised people over 30 years of age. Most of the young people aged between 18 and 24 in attendance completed the pre-show survey. Only two of those surveyed and none of these interviewed had attended as part of a school group.
Pre-show audience surveys | 104 |
Post-show interviews | 8 |
6 month interviewees | 9 |
RESEARCH TEAM:
Partner Chief Investigator: John Hughes.
Chief Investigators: Robyn Ewing, Michael Anderson.
Lead Research Assistant: Josephine Fleming.
Research Assistants: Linzy Brady, Jess Chilton, Claire Coleman, Marianne Mansour, Victoria Campbell.
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This study confirms the impact that early theatre-going has on developing an ongoing commitment to theatre. 53 % of those surveyed and 77 % of those interviewed were attending with family members.
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The influence of parents and grandparents in nurturing an interest in theatre has had a profound impact on the young people in this study. There is evidence to suggest that theatre-going as a family event has strengthened familial bonds and has had a positive effect on building shared memories.
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O’Toole, J. (2014). Introduction. In: O'Toole, J., Adams, RJ., Anderson, M., Burton, B., Ewing, R. (eds) Young Audiences, Theatre and the Cultural Conversation. Landscapes: the Arts, Aesthetics, and Education, vol 12. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7609-8_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7609-8_1
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