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The theatre of life: Collective
narrative practice with young trans
people
Dane Duncan Mills, Maria Castro Romero and Jesse Ashman
As part of my doctoral thesis, supervised by Maria, I (Dane) worked alongside a group of trans young people, part of the
community-interest group Gendered Intelligence, to co-produce a structure for speaking and recording diverse and
owned trans narratives. These detail reponses to everyday oppression, otherwise known as creative resistance. This was
facilitated through the aid of a poster and the metaphor of a theatre stage to guide stories, which also provided a safe
position from which to tell these. This practice was named the theatre of life (Mills, 2017), and it is hoped it may open
up doors by inspiring audience members with whom these stories may resonate, in order to create social action within
community, institutional and political spheres.
What Is collective narrative developed the successful tree of life in (participatory action research) between
practice? South Africa with child survivors of grief, myself and a London-based community
Collective narrative practice has sprung which has internationally inspired other group called Gendered Intelligence. We
from the narrative framework, which metaphors for life, such as Th e Beads of were guided by Denboroughs (2008)
emerged in Australia and New Zealand Life (Portnoy et al., 2015) with young Th emes & Dreams for working with
in the 1980s from the collaboration of people living with cancer. groups in this way. First of all, this
Michael White and David Epston (1990). Metaphors can provide a less direct included thinking carefully about how to
While both were family therapists, the medium through which to tell stories and, create a context for speaking about trans
framework diff erentiated itself as they since how we story what we have lived lives which is most comfortable. Th is
began to give less focus to the systemic shapes how we understand ourselves, a allowed the group to voice their desire to
metaphor for peoples lives and became metaphor can help to create an alternative fi nd a way to hear about how oppression
more interested in a narrative metaphor territory of identity (White, 2005) to help was already being resisted, and to record
and the power of a person becoming the explore problems, but also solutions that this in the form of stories, before fi nding a T
h
author of their own life story. tell us something about the narrators relevant audience with whom these stories e thea
Some practitioners have noticed values. Th e metaphor of life as a theatre will resonate.
that, when people come together and performance could help young trans Th e group wanted to create a session for tre of life
create spaces to tell stories of hardship people to feel a sense of pride, ownership youth groups who meet monthly, under
and survival in ways which make and design towards how their life stories the topic of mental health and well-being.
them stronger, this can open up new are told, as well as enabling consideration We experimented with ways to narrate : C
o
possibilities in their relationships towards their chosen families as cast life stories in fun, creative yet therapeutic lle
c
and communities. Groups, clubs, and crew. It also invites the idea that ways. Recording life stories would allow tiv
communities and collectives with audiences can take important messages us to share these with other young trans e
whom this practice has resonated the forward into their own lives. people in diff erent contexts who may feel narra
most includes survivors of trauma, isolated. One hope was that such stories t
iv
oppression and inequality. If one voice The theatre of life would not just help individuals, but also e prac
is an instrument, then multiple voices Although we are beginning to learn help the systems of support for trans
can become a symphony. Th e upshot of more about the multiple forms of people in making eff ective changes. tic
e
successful groups is writt en documents oppression faced by young trans people, Th e group came up with a theatre-based with y
which detail the skills and knowledge of including the impact of under- and mis- poster template, a familiar image for those
survivors of bullying, worry and misery representation of trans stories in the involved in theatre productions. Each
o
(Lowell, 2008). media and academia, there is relatively section of the template represented a part ung tran
When telling stories of survival, it can very litt le known about how to support of a persons life, areas which felt right in
be helpful to use metaphors to guide this population and the systems put into the eyes of group members. Th e template
a narrative, keep it balanced, and help place to support them. Th e theatre of was digitally produced by an artist in the s p
e
to create a protected position for those life (Mills, 2017) is a fun, artistic and group and labeled with guiding questions ople
telling their stories to speak from. Th ese politically engaging practice which helps such as, “What is the behind the scenes
ideas grow in the work of transformative to narrate life stories, designed by young support that helps you to be you, to get ready
practice by Ncazelo Ncube (2006) trans people, for young trans people. to tell your story?”. Th e session allowed
and David Denborough (2008), who It is the product of collaborative work group members to take turns to be in an
Context 155, February 2018 13
invoked the broader institutional and
political audience such as child and
adolecent mental health services, schools,
gender clinics, and politicians. Th is helped
us to consider who to contact in order to
share these stories and honour the young
peoples words.
Th e physical sett ing used was also
a remarkable learning point. Mental
health clinics can be experienced as
unsafe and stigmatised places for young
trans people, who o en have to navigate
complex referral-systems, waiting lists,
and may att ract stigmatising and defi cit-
based labels, which may further confuse
a young persons own identity, in order
to access resources. We were inspired by
the report from the Trans Community
Conference (Stewart, 2008) in which
delegates advocated for the importance of
Figure 1: Digital theatre of life template and guiding questions. “using art, writing, theatre, performance, lm
and oral history to discuss gender diversity
audience position and narrator position, in important for minority communities, in our communities” (p. 33). Wernick et
a show and tell format. given the collective voice is central al. (2014) also found that a lesbian, gay,
in constructing both the self and the bisexual, and transgender theatre group
The power of the theatre of life collective-self due to the barriers of in the United States used theatre to create
for young trans people oppression (Gal et al., 2015). community, build critical consciousness
This methodology was, and continues Allowing participants to feel pre- and eff ect community change. Gett ing
to be, remarkably powerful for the prepared at diff erent stages was another out of the clinic and moving to a theatre
young trans people who took part in the unique feature of the methodology. For space, the preferred physical sett ing chosen
designing and sessions. In the words of example, creating a poster in the fi rst by the community group, seemed really
one participant: instance allows for participants to refl ect important. Th is space invited pride and joy,
“I really enjoyed the freedom to say as on what feels comfortable enough to go and connected to the many creative arts
ople much or as little as we wanted to in what on to share with words. As well as writt en projects which the group had produced in
e we made and what we shared. Also, it was words, participants sometimes used the past.
s p good to hear other people’s stories and that images, symbols and drawing to depict
reminded me that other people are going the unsayable. Painting a backdrop of Future directions
ung tranthrough similar things.” life allowed young people to place their The future dreams of the theatre of
o This methodology strikes a balance life story in a historical and political life are to firstly share trans stories. This
with ybetween bearing witness to stories context, whilst the orchestra pit invited needs not be limited to the PowerPoint
e of hardship, without neglecting the participants to share soundtracks of life, based echo chambers of academia. Stories
ticoften subjugated stories of how people lyrics and songs, and describe how we can have long been shared in the creative arts
challenged, resisted, overcame or use creativity to communicate what is and, arguably, may extend a broader reach
e pracultimately survived. The term “creative otherwise diffi cult to say. than journal articles and conferences.
iv
t resistance” (Afuape, 2016, p. 33) has It was important for participants to For instance, through political theatre
narrabeen used to describe resistance consider who the wider audience would which emerged from the work of critical
e that is expansive and opens up new be. As a gay man, I (Dane) related to an playwright Bertolt Brecht (1964); and in
tivopportunities and possibilities; as there extent to how cautious I was as a teenager a similar terrain, forum theatre a form of
c are initiatives to “reduce or redress the in guarding information which may theatre of the oppressed from the work
lle
o harm and/or to care for and protect others” impact on my safety and social life. Having of Augusto Boal (2002).
: C(Denborough, 2008, p. 198) hidden in participants take charge of their preferred Another dream is for other young
peoples responses to oppression. audience, depicted in the audience section people to connect with their trans, queer
tre of lifeCrucially, we created a safer space of their poster was, therefore, a very useful and chosen family and build upon this
for co-authoring stories of collective aspect of the session. Common preferred method in order to harness their unique
e theaidentity, allowing for a diverse array of audience-members included young trans creative resistance. Th is may include
h ideas, language and identities to come and queer people who may be isolated connecting with other marginalised
T
together, weaving a patchwork quilt of from community but also transphobic groups to fulfi ll the dream proposed by
trans personhood, one which can grow people, or non-allies who saw trans issues Freire (1970, p. 157) for building “unity in
and comfort continuously. This is most as irrelevant. In the royal box participants diversity”.
14 Context 155, February 2018
White, M. (2005) Children, trauma and
subordinate storyline development. International
Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community Work,
3/4: 10-24.
White, M. & Epston, D. (1990) Narrative Means to
Therapeutic Ends. New York: Norton.
Useful websites:
http://dulwichcentre.com.au
http://genderedintelligence.co.uk
Dane Duncan Mills: Whilst I have noticed
my identity seems to shift across diff erent
geographical, relational and spiritual
spaces, I identify as a northern white gay
man, with strong working class roots. I am
an aspiring Buddhist. I have trained as a
clinical psychologist, with a special interest
in community and liberation psychology.
I hope to take an active trans ally role. My
T
prefered pronouns are he/him/his. h
Maria Castro Romero: I am a senior lecturer e thea
and academic tutor in clinical psychology at
the University of East London. I have had a tre of life
long history as a narrative and community
Figure 2: Steves theatre of life: The light at the end of the tunnel – what cant be said can be sung psychologist, advocate, researcher, writer
and trainer. I have a commitment to creative : C
and collaborative narrative and liberation o
References Community Health. lle
Afuape, T. (2016) Creative resistance and Mills, D.D. (2017) The Theatre of Life: Collective praxis with minorities and other historically c
collaborative relationships. Working with Inner- Narrative Practice with Trans Young People in the and still today largely marginalised groups, tiv
city young people and families. In: T. Afuape e
& I-B. Krause (eds.) Urban Child and Adolescent Community. (Doctoral dissertation, University people who seek help or use mental health narra
of East London) Available online: http://roar.uel. services, their families and communities, to
Mental Health Services: A Responsive Approach to ac.uk/
construct humanising alternatives refl ective t
Communities. London: Routledge. Ncube, N. (2006) The tree of life project. iv
Boal, A. (2002) Games for Actors and Non-Actors. International Journal of Narrative Therapy & and respectful of the pluralistic societies e prac
London: Psychology Press. Community Work, 1: 3-16. in which we live; a psychology for social
Brecht, B. (1964) Brecht on Theatre: The inclusion and equality.
Development of an Aesthetic (Vol. 13), J. Willett Portnoy, S., Girling, I. & Fredman, G. (2015) tic
Supporting young people living with cancer Jesse Ashman: I currently work for e
(Ed.) New York: Hill and Wang. to tell their stories in ways that make them the Gendered Intelligence speakers with y
Denborough, D. (2008) Collective Narrative stronger: The beads of life approach. Clinical Child programme and volunteer as a youth
Practice: Responding to Individuals, Groups, and Psychology and Psychiatry, 21: 255-67.
Communities who have Experienced Trauma. worker. Ive previously worked with other o
Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications. Stewart, J. (2008) Our bodies, our minds, our LGBT organisations and as a mental health ung tran
environments. Trans community conference.
Freire, P. (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed (second (Conference Proceedings) Retrieved, 1 February support worker. I use he/him pronouns and
ed.). London: Penguin Books. 2017, from: http://cdn0.genderedintelligence. am bisexual, trans, polyamorous, white,
Gal, N., Shifman, L. & Kampf, Z. (2015) “It gets co.uk/2012/11/17/17-46-15-Trans-Community- working class, dyslexic, dyspraxic, able- s p
better”: Internet memes and the construction Conference-Report2008.pdf e
of collective identity. New Media & Society, 18: Wernick, L., Woodford, M. & Kulick, A. (2014) bodied and have recently moved to London ople
1698-1714. LGBTQQ youth using participatory action after living most of my life in Essex. I was
Lowell, W. (2008) Cocoons and Butterfl ies. Sharing research and theater to eff ect change: Moving involved with the Theatre of Life in helping
Our Knowledge and Responses to the Eff ects of adult decision-makers to create youth-centered design the project and facilitating the
Depression and Anxiety. Brunswick: Moreland change. Journal of Community Practice, 22: 47-66. sessions.
Context 155, February 2018 15
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