What is Playback Theatre?

Playback Theatre is created through a unique collaboration between performers and audience. Someone tells a story or moment from their life, chooses actors to play the different roles, then watches as their story is immediately recreated and given artistic shape and coherence.

Playback Theatre creates a ritual space where any story – however ordinary, extraordinary, hidden or difficult – might be told, and immediately made into theatre. And where each person’s uniqueness is honored and affirmed while at the same time building and strengthening our connections to each other as a community of people.

So, what happens during a performance?

A performance begins with the conductor, or mc, welcoming the audience and introducing the actors. Next comes the warm up, in which audience members are invited to share short experiences and feelings about the performance theme. The actors perform short pieces reflecting the experiences and feelings of audience members

After the warm up, we enter the core of the performance which is focused around longer stories. Audience members are invited to share stories on the theme of the performance. Each person who shares a story sits near the the performance space and tells their story with guidance from the conductor. Next, the actors spontaneously improvise a re-enactment of the story, aiming to present and capture the essence and heart of the story. Following the enactment, the actors acknowledge the person who told the story, who then has the opportunity to share any thoughts about the enactment.

There is usually space for a number of longer stories to be told. After we finish telling longer stories, in the final part of the performance, the audience is asked to reflect on their experience of the performance. Similar to the warm up, the actors perform short pieces reflecting the experiences of audience members.

Tell me more about Chiang Mai Playback Theatre.

Chiang Mai Playback Theatre was founded in 2010 by Paul Monson and a group of enthusiastic Chiang Mai residents: some expat, others Thai, some with acting experience, others with no acting experience. We are a young group, still in our first year, and we invite participation from new members. You are welcome to join us during our weekly practice sessions and hope to see you at the next performance!

Find us on Facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chiang-Mai-Playback-Theatre/185953098088225