This image is from a touring show called "Crime of the century". In this show i play the mother of the victim who gets killed after a fight kicks off. (The mad woman at the top of this shape is me)
This show approaches the issue from a more holistic approach as my previous blogg mentions. It looks at all the factors that could add to why young individuals get into such a desensitised positive which can allow them to take someone elses life.
I think this is important to share with those of you who are interested in my blog or the themes which I'm interested in, as this show and my participation within this piece is the reason as to why my line of inquiry is taking this direction, and why i wish to find out more about it.
Another reason which is why i feel a sense of duty to further research this topic is because my cousin Shaquille Smith (see above) was murdered on the 31st August 2008. This shattered my family, and my life personally as i have never really been able to find closure on this. He was only 14years old and was killed literally outside his own home.
I have to try and help this issue in any way i can. And for more selfish reasons i feel that if reflective practise could do anything it could helpfully give me a little bit of closure and understanding as to what is happening about this issue, what more there is to do, and hopefully force me to look deeper into myself and my life and identify why i cant move on from this "incident" that happened 4years ago now.
Just thought some background as to why my inquiry is shaping up to how it is would be helpful. Not only for those who are reading this but for myself also.
I thought it would be worth blogging my to do list. Not only does this mean i definately have to do it... but also if any one has questions as to why i am doing what i am doing, or feel that we could connect up with one of my to do list, or if anyone has any other thoughts then hopefully we can have that conversations.
To Do List
- Such for other inclusive theatres
b) see if these theatre have ever produced an issue based piece
c) after research, try and set up an interview if not send a questionnaire (This would be in my actual inquiry)
-Search for organisations which tackle issue without the use of theatres.
b) Once identified try to find the positives and negatives off there methods
c) Again try and set the foundations to be able to have an interview or observe their work when i progress to the next stage
-Research ETHICs in issue based theatre
b) Try and find the contraversy behind ethics and issue based theatre as im certain that sometimes ethics potenially get over looked using the excuse of an artistic licence. That leads to questionning is this right?
-See if there is literature about issue based theatre, Tackling issues, Inclusivity and it purpose. Other wise my inquuiry runs the risk of soley being a written debate without literature to add another level
-Set a difinitive path for my inquiry!!!!!!
This is what i aim to do. With my deadline for this being next friday. So would love feedback! Is this the best way to get started?
Or if you have any information that i can further research or anything you could provide insight in.
Thanks
http://www.word4weapons.co.uk/
I came accross this organisation a couple of weeks ago when i went to an "Anti-knife Crime" conference.
I spoke quite thouroghly with Michael who is the founder of Word4Weapons. When starting out on my inquiry and trying to think about the best way i could approach this i suddenly thought about our conversation.
I am very passionate about the power of Theatre in order to tackle issues as it has to in its creation and execution take a more holistic approach to any issue in its focus. This holistic approach takes away the element of blame- "Locke 2009" published a book on this "blame culture" which we are now livng in, where people strive to blame anybody, this is seen in lawsuits, compensation adverts, medical practises and in every single acticle in the paper where an issue is disscussed someone is blamed.
Michael from word4weapons has this "tough love" approach, using elements of the blame culture. He is very blunt with the reason why knife crime has risen, and what he has done is provide knife bins in certain areas of the country for young individuals to throw them away and start again.
When i first head of this approach of attempting to tackle this issue i did think quite ignorantly "it would never work it too simple", especially as i belive the way to tackle this issue is indepth conversations to get to the route of the problem and them work our way up from there. HOWEVER IT IS WORKING!
He has had MASSIVE success with these knive bins, his organisation has won awards ect.
Also at this conference an ambulance worker spoke to all of us that were there and told the most horrif stories of what hes seen and delt with in the most grusome detail. And by the look of the audience (who consisted of the target group i would use in my inguiry.) This scare tactit also worked!
This on reflection (and quite late reflection as i didnt think about it until yesterday) has meant that potentially i would change the direction of my inquiry to more of a comparision between other organisations that try and tackle issues in a non-theatrical way and directly compare that to organisations that do use theatre as the medium to push social change. But then compare Chickenshed inclusive methods with other organistions who do not practice inclusive theatre and see what i can find.
I belive this will be more effective in my line of study as all this different organisations are doing some right so combining the best elements and identifying the worst could create a more powerful product....potentially..i might just be getting carried away!
BUT i dont know wether to narrow my search to just knife crime antigang violence issue....or issue based theatre in general ....
any thoughts will be very well recieved
So its been awhile and after a sharp wake up call i have scrapped the work i did before and started agian.
These are some questions which i have created....what ive done this time is not cheat and ask questions that really i already new the answers to...i also want to generate both qualitative and quantitative data if i can- as i believe that provides a more solid foundation for my research results.
1) What leads the thematic drive in issue based theatre? The issue? Or the theatre?
2) Is it more impactful to devide and perform issue based theatre in an inclusive environment with an inclusive cast?
3)What percentage of young people involved in an issue based project need to be directly connected to the issue?
b) Can issue based theatre which only workd with those directly assosiated with the issue be considered seperate or excluded?
4) Does issue based theatre show a higher Social Return on Investment (SROI) than other forms of theatre?
b) How does this apply to Chickenshed?
5) What percentage of young people who have experiences Chickenshed's anti-gang violence piece "Crime of the Century) believe it was.....
a) able to positively impact on gang violence
b)able to positively impact on the own ability to effect change in their lives
c)belive it was potentilly irrelevent to their lives
These questions i composed because i am generally interested in the responce, i think it will be challenging to accurately find answers to them..and also i believe my result can benifit Chickenshed developement of Issue based theatre.
Please let me know what you think, how i can impove what you dont think works etc?
OR TIPS!
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