Communities of imagination:
Contemporary Southeast Asian theatres
Author: Catherine Diamond
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press, 2012
In “Communities of Imagination”, Catherine Diamond explores contemporary theatre across Southeast Asia, focusing on lesser-known traditions beyond the dominant narratives of China, Japan, India, and Indonesia. Through a country-by-country study, she reveals how performances reflect local histories, societal shifts, and the tensions of globalisation. Organised around themes such as gender, censorship, and nationalism, the book highlights theatre’s enduring relevance despite competition from mass media. It offers a vital resource for scholars, students, and travellers interested in the region’s evolving cultural landscape.Bibliography content here…
Community Theatre : Global Perspectives
Author: Eugene van Erven
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
In “Community Theatre: Global Perspectives”, Eugene van Erven explores the global practice of community theatre as a powerful tool for storytelling, political engagement, and social inclusion. Drawing on his experiences with theatre groups in six diverse countries, the book documents the methods and traditions shaping this grassroots art form. Published alongside a companion video, it offers the first in-depth study of international community theatre, highlighting its role in empowering marginalised communities and fostering collective expression.
Hopes for Great Happenings
Author: Albert Hunt
Publisher: Taylor & Francis eBooks, 2014
First published in 1976, this book recounts Albert Hunt’s transformative experience teaching at the Regional College of Art, Bradford, from 1965. Working with ‘non-academic’ students on experimental theatre and creative projects, Hunt moved away from traditional education towards a more radical, student-centred approach. He reflects on how new teacher-student dynamics not only reshaped learning but also offered alternative perspectives on society and its structures.
In all my Born Days
Author: Sue Gill
Publisher: Dead Good Guides, 2021
In this reflective and richly textured collection, Sue Gill—co-founder of Welfare State International—offers personal insights into life on the road with the celebrated arts company, as well as her creative journey since its closure in 2006. Blending ancestral memories, travel stories, ceremonies, and everyday observations, Gill paints a vivid portrait of a life grounded in artistic practice, community, and celebration. Her writing honours the extraordinary within the ordinary, revealing a deep commitment to place, family, and the rituals that shape a meaningful life.
Performing Democracy: International Perspectives on Urban Community-Based Performance
Editors: Susan Chandler Haedicke, Tobin Nellhaus
Publisher: University of Michigan Press, 2001
“Performing Democracy” examines community-based performance as a tool for social change and cultural preservation among marginalised and diverse groups. Blending critical analysis with field reports, it explores projects across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The book is structured around themes of community formation, power dynamics in production, and performance as a means of empowerment and civic engagement. Covering a wide range of genres—from agitprop and puppetry to forum theatre and oral epics—it highlights the transformative potential of performance in varied social and political contexts.
Radical People’s Theatre
Author: Eugène Van Erven
Publisher: Indiana University Press, 2000
“Radical People’s Theatre” by Eugène Van Erven is a comprehensive exploration of activist and grassroots theatre movements across the globe. Focusing on politically engaged forms such as street theatre, agitprop, and community-based performance, the book illustrates how theatre serves as a powerful tool for resistance, education, and social advocacy. Drawing on case studies from Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Van Erven highlights the work of practitioners who challenge dominant power structures and amplify marginalised voices, offering valuable insight into theatre’s role in global movements for social change.
The Playful Revolution: Theatre and Liberation in Asia
Author: Eugène Van Erven
Publisher: Indiana University Press, 1992
“Radical People’s Theatre” by Eugène Van Erven is a comprehensive exploration of activist and grassroots theatre movements across the globe. Focusing on politically engaged forms such as street theatre, agitprop, and community-based performance, the book illustrates how theatre serves as a powerful tool for resistance, education, and social advocacy. Drawing on case studies from Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Van Erven highlights the work of practitioners who challenge dominant power structures and amplify marginalised voices, offering valuable insight into theatre’s role in global movements for social change.
Communal Arts and Community Organizing: A Study of Community Theatre Experience in Nkalagu
Author: Joseph A. Nnaji
Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2021
Community theatre, grounded in the principles of Paulo Freire, serves as a tool for liberation by fostering critical consciousness and challenging passive acceptance. This project recounts an initiative in Nkalagu, a deeply divided community marked by feuds and a lack of cohesion that hindered development. On 26th December 2007, community theatre was employed to address these issues. The performance prompted self-reflection among residents, as evidenced by their admissions during the post-production discussion, highlighting its potential to inspire community organisation.
Community Plays and How to Put them on
Author: Ann Jellicoe
Publisher: Methuen, 1987
In Community Plays and How to Put Them On, Ann Jellicoe shares her pioneering approach to community theatre, drawing on her 1985 production Entertaining Strangers with the people of Dorchester. This detailed guide outlines the methods developed by the Colway Theatre Trust for staging large-scale community plays, highlighting how theatre can strengthen communities. The book includes 32 pages of photographs documenting the creative process and remains a valuable resource for community arts practitioners.
Directing for Community Theatre
Author: Daniel L. Patterson
Publisher: Routledge, 2023
“Directing for Community Theatre” is a practical guide for amateur directors seeking to lead successful community theatre productions. Emphasising preparation, it covers essential topics such as play analysis, staging, blocking, and collaboration with actors and production teams. The book provides sample forms and tools—including rehearsal schedules, audition sheets, and character analyses—to support directors from planning through to performance. Designed for those new to directing or already involved in community theatre, it offers clear, actionable advice to navigate the creative and logistical demands of the role.
Engineers Of The Imagination: Welfare State Handbook
Editors: Tony Coult, Baz Kershaw
Publisher: Methuen Drama, 2014
This practical handbook offers insight into the distinctive celebratory theatre of Welfare State International, founded by John Fox in 1968. Known for uniting audiences through powerful imagery, the company blends archetypal and contemporary elements in large-scale, community-focused performances. The book provides guidance on creating processions, giant puppets, fire and ice effects, shadow theatre, and more, while contextualising the artistic philosophy behind the work. Designed as a hands-on resource, it captures the spirit and methods of one of the UK’s most innovative theatre collectives.
Games for Actors and Non-Actors
Author: Augusto Boal
Publisher: Routledge, 2021
“Games for Actors and Non-Actors” by Augusto Boal is a seminal guide to the principles and practices of Theatre of the Oppressed. Aimed at both performers and the wider public, it demonstrates how theatre can empower and transform individuals and communities. This third English edition includes newly translated essays and interviews from the 1970s, as well as a contemporary reflection by Sergio de Carvalho on Boal’s impact on Brazilian theatre and politics. Essential for theatre makers, educators, and activists alike.
Theatre of the Oppressed
Author: Augusto Boal
Publisher: Theatre Communications Group, 199
The Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), developed by Brazilian practitioner Augusto Boal in the 1970s, uses theatre to inspire social and political change. Influenced by Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, TO encourages audience participation, turning spectators into “spect-actors” who actively engage with and challenge their lived realities. Initially rooted in radical-left politics, the approach later aligned more broadly with centre-left ideology and gained traction in Europe.