Christine Sinclair

Why and with whom?: A study of young people as theatre-goers in Australia

Abstract This article is an overview of the literature informing the four year Australian Research Council linkage project, TheatreSpace: Accessing the Cultural Conversation, a large-scale longitudinal study into young peoples attendance at mainstream theatre1. The article provides a brief overview of the research project and an examination of a range of the key principles which have allowed the researchers access to understanding a complex web of data. The article explores the link between the education sector and young people as theatre-goers, considering the place of theatre and theatre-going in the curriculum, the role of teachers as mediators and facilitators of the theatre experience. The question of how young people ‘read’ the theatre experience both within and beyond the curriculum is a point of particular focus.

Access and the Practicalities of Attendance

This chapter addresses the factors which encourage or inhibit access by young people to theatre and more broadly to the cultural conversation as manifest in performances by major cultural providers. Critical considerations at the heart of this chapter include: a discussion of the practicalities of attendance – distance, cost, language, booking and ticketing, travel and physical access, and information, and a discussion of theoretical influences on access – cultural capital and social capital.

Building Theatre Confidence

Theatre confidence as a principle is not particular to any one group of young people, or theatre-going context, and the repeated appearance of theatre confidence as a catalyst for ‘successful’ attendance warrants further attention. This chapter proposes to explore the qualities and characteristics of theatre confidence, and the multiple ways in which it manifests itself in different social, educational and cultural contexts. In order to further understand the usefulness of the concept to sustained, independent theatre going, we consider the question of how theatre confidence is generated and built. Drawing on the TheatreSpace research, we identify and discuss a set of possible building blocks for theatre confidence.

Intermezzo 3: One Way Or Another

The previous class has concluded, and all the students have left. Barb is packing up her notes, computer, tape recorder etc. Kurt appears in the doorway. He’s holding an email in his hand.

Conclusion: A Continuum for Planning

The final chapter serves two purposes drawn together by a proposed model – the Commitment Continuum. The chapter aims to locate differing approaches to understanding attendance within the framework of a young person’s ‘commitment’ to attend. Through a detailed deconstruction of the events and key decision-making associated with the crucial decision to attend (or not), the chapter provides a review of the multiple perspectives of young people’s theatre-going as demonstrated through various lenses in the preceding chapters of this book– the education sector, the key informants, the socio-economic and cultural impacts, the theatre experience itself including notions of venue, genre and style, and the practicalities of attendance.

Scene/ Class 10: Contested Territories. When Blurring The Boundaries Means Crossing The Line

The classroom: desks have been organized neatly into rows and there is a new electronic whiteboard installed since the students were last in the room. The overhead projector is nowhere to be found. The scene opens with all students except Malcolm seated. Barb and Kurt are both standing up addressing the students, although it is not initially clear whether this is the class, or parallel interior monologues.

Cast of Characters and Setting

She is knowledgeable about this place and these systems, and despite her nerves her confidence shows through. She has a warm voice and face that belies her relentless concern with procedure.

Scene / Class 4: Finding The Form

Scene opens in the classroom, before class. Barb is working through her Powerpoint, somewhat agitated, making last minute changes. Francine arrives, carrying two take away cups of tea, stops at the door when she sees Barb. Checks her watch, is about to go out again, when Barb looks up.

Scene / Class 5: Telling Stories (Whose Stories?)

SUZI and FRANCINE are sitting in a Common Room on the ground floor of the Fitzroy Flats where Suzi lives. The room is set up with 10 tables pushed together in the middle, and about 20 chairs. There are arts supplies on the table, and some sewing materials as well. They each have a cup of tea and are talking. The room is bright and cheerful.

Scene 7: Researcher As Artist / Artist As Researcher

Kurt’s email alert pings, pings and pings again – 3 in a row. He slams his desk, his shoulders fall, he hangs his head. When he finally looks up, he turns off the music and reads the first email.