Bad Facilitation or the Wrong Approach?: Unpacking the Failure of a Theatre for Health Project

Abstract

The importance of choosing a suitable applied theatre approach and facilitator is clear for the success of such projects, but what criteria are used to determine whether the use of theatre is appropriate, the selected approach is best, and who should facilitate these projects? In this article, the author explores the failure of a theatre for health project to determine whether the failure was due to choosing the wrong approach or to poor facilitation. Through that discussion, the role of facilitation in theatre for health and the larger applied theatre field is explored. The author uses her own facilitation experience to illustrate challenges to facilitation that training and experience may not adequately address. Also briefly discussed is how practitioners determine if a theatre for health approach is the best option or not for their projects. Finally, the author also discusses suggestions for adjusting approaches to facilitation and the training of facilitators as well as examines ways to move her own work forward.