Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary: The Verbatim Project

Thursday, August 3, 2017

The Verbatim Project

Canberra Youth Theatre in association with the Australian Theatre For Young People (ATYP) THE VERBATIM PROJECT, AT ATYP THEATRE, Wharf 4, Hickson Rd., Walsh Bay. 19-22 July.

Canberra Youth Theatre under the Direction of Katie Cawthorne has developed a Verbatim work: THE VERBATIM PROJECT, with sixteen participants - ten 14-16 year olds and six 65-80 year olds - and brought it to Sydney for a short season, hosted by the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP).

It is in the typical verbatim theatre staging formula - physical 'choreography' to illustrate and demarcate the issue segments with direct vocal communication to the audience - and is, relatively, arresting because of the range of personal experiences on some diverse life issues e.g. Mental Health - the issue of Depression, Anxiety; discussion on the difference between Love and Sex, Gender and Identity. The age differences within the group seemed to liberate the participants to some open and free observations and the mutual respect they had with each other, no matter the sex or age of the speaker let one have an empathetic endowment.

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Mission Statement

This blog developed out of another task. When talking to an IT Savant they suggested that I post these reviews. In doing so it struck me that in the cultural ether there is very little discussion of what is happening. On the weekend (Sunday) I counted 34 pages of sport analysis. Maybe 10 or 12 pages on media celebrity, (centred mainly about Television) and no Arts. No diverse Music discussion. No Art discussion. No Dance or Theatre discussion. So I feel that in writing this blog my intention is to help facilitate constructive Discussion. I see this blog as a CATALYST for real "speak". I see it as some way to RECORD for History's sake events and to INTERPRET them. I hope engagement and exchange evolves. I guess this might be what Marketing might call a Mission Statement.