Contact Theatre is an Arts Council of England-funded theatre on the campus of the University of Manchester, in the north of England. From its re-opening in 1999 until the end of 2008, it was led by Artistic Director John McGrath who created a programme of theatre performances and projects specifically geared to young people (between the ages of 13…

"Performance of pain, performance of beauty" explores performance projects in war zones using Elaine Scarry's definitions of "pain" and "beauty" as a starting point. The way in which pain constricts the body and the experience that beauty can take a person beyond the body become a contested framework for considering two examples of performance.…

Considers the development of theatre programmes within war or conflict affected regions. Discusses how the practical and theoretical dilemmas, which are always apparent in applied or community theatre projects, are heightened by the dynamics of these violent situations. Touches on a few of these concerns in relation to the author's work within the…

Discusses problems that arise in evaluating social participatory art. Contends that concentrating solely on the social policy function during project development can have the effect of drying out the artistic content of the work. Proposes that evaluation processes are needed, but they must evolve from the structures of the projects and the needs…