The ecology of theatre for young audiences: is radical theatre possible for children today?

ABSTRACT This study presents the idea that radical theatre for young audiences is necessary to wake up the field and cultivate moral, social and aesthetic values. It does it through a discussion of four essential topics: (a) The essence of theatre for young audiences (its characterisation and emphasis on its distinctiveness); (b) Ecology of theatre; (c) Radical theatre for young audiences; (d) And radical forms of performance. The notion of ‘otherness’ is woven into the four themes derived from the attitude that we must release fixed thought patterns to allow for different ways of thinking about topics that change over time.