thinking theatre. enhancing children’s theatrical experiences through philosophical enquiry

Abstract

A marker of quality in a cultural experience is its enduring resonance as it engages its audience intellectually, imaginatively or emotionally. This is certainly the case with theatre that is made for adults and we should have the same ambition in theatre made for children. It is worth acknowledging, however, that children might need to be actively invited to take their engagement with a theatre performance further and provided with the time, skills and structures through which to do so. This paper presents the findings of a piece of research commissioned to explore the potential of using Philosophy Enquiry for Children (P4C) as the structure through which to deepen and enhance children’s engagement with theatre. In doing so it explores what happens when theatre is used as the stimulus material for a philosophical enquiry, providing insights into both the nature of the theatrical experience and the nature of P4C.