Creating Life Story Theatre: A Guide for Applied Theatre Practitioners

— —

Karin Diamond (University of California, San Francisco, USA, and Re-Live, UK) Alison O’Connor (Re-Live, UK)

Creating Life Story Theatre

A Guide for Applied Theatre Practitioners

Karin Diamond (University of California, San Francisco, USA, and Re-Live, UK), Alison O’Connor (Re-Live, UK), Clark Baim (Birmingham Institute for Psychodrama, UK) , Prof Michael Balfour (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

$150

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Methuen Drama
20 March 2025

Theatre Studies; Creative therapy (eg art, music, drama)

Balancing practical exercises and case studies, this book equips practitioners, students and academics with guidance for exploring the process of making theatre from personal stories.

Inviting you to consider the ethical challenges and rewards of this specialized area of theatre making, this book contextualizes the authors’ original approaches within the range of existing applied theatre practice. It draws on the authors’ practice and research in prisons, with military veterans and families, older adults, people living with dementia, intergenerational community groups, and end-of-life care settings. Offering guiding principles for practitioners undertaking work in this field and sharing techniques and exercises to help develop your style and approach, it also features handy hints and pitfalls to consider while working with someone’s most precious commodity: their life story.

Featuring both the authors’ and participants’ perspectives, the book explores concepts such as collaborative editing and co-creation, ownership and accountability, ethics and boundaries, and rolling consent. Alongside a growing interest in using personal stories in applied theatre, it argues that there is increasing evidence for the role of the arts in the promotion of health, prevention of ill health, and management and treatment of illness. In light of the steady increase in a diverse range of arts practitioners embracing narrative practice, this book is an accessible, practitioner-level text on the subject.

By: Karin Diamond (University of California San Francisco USA and Re-Live UK), Alison O’Connor (Re-Live, UK), Clark Baim (Birmingham Institute for Psychodrama, UK)
Series edited by: Prof Michael Balfour (University of New South Wales Sydney Australia)
Imprint: Methuen Drama
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 218mm, Width: 142mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 480g
ISBN: 9781350405868
ISBN 10: 1350405868
Pages: 296
Publication Date: 20 March 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Part 1: Background and Process Introduction: Context and Connections 1. Life Story Theatre: The Process 2. The Drama Spiral 3. Becoming a Life Story Practitioner 4. Ethics and Challenges of this Work 5. Adaptations of Creative Life Story Work Part 2: Games, Exercises, Facilitation and Session Design 6. Life Story Facilitation 7. Games and Exercises that Can elicit Personal and Collective Stories 8. Working at a Deeper Level with Personal and Collective Stories 9. Sample Structures, Sessions and Resources for Life Story Theatre Making References Index

Karin Diamond is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Re-Live, UK. Alison O'Connor is the Co-Founder and Company Supervisor of Re-Live, UK. Clark Baim is the Director of the Birmingham Institute for Psychodrama, UK and former Director of Geese Theatre Company UK.

Reviews for Creating Life Story Theatre: A Guide for Applied Theatre Practitioners

This book comprehensively explores personal stories in theatre-making, serving as a valuable resource for practitioners, students and academics. With clear writing and practical advice, the authors draw on their experience to guide readers through creating theatre from personal narratives. The book’s ethical focus adds depth, making it essential for practitioners seeking to create impactful theatre experiences. * Michael Balfour, University of New South Wales, Australia *