Community theatre: A tool for health promotion

Abstract

Community theatre is a means of voicing community concerns, and involves collective analysis of an issue, decision making and action to bring about change. Health promotion through community development involves the community in all facets of priority setting, decision making and implementing actions to alter factors that affect its health. The aim of this study was to match both processes and determine whether community theatre was an effective tool for health promotion, particularly for people of Non English Speaking Background. Four different theatre productions were accessed and the perspectives of the community participants, health educators and artistic directors obtained. Community theatre was found to be a potentially effective method of health promotion, be it didactic, experiential or through community development. However, its effectiveness could be limited by many cultural, personal and logistical constraints. Therefore it should be applied appropriately. This required much prior planning, greater community participation, adequate resources and realistic expectations. It was thought to be most effective as part of a range of other health promotion programmes. Greater evaluation and documentation of every such production was required as a guide for future use and support of community theatre for health promotion.