Il teatro sociale. L'arte tra disagio e cura

Social theater has its roots in practices, visions and stories of the recent 19th century Western scene, such as theatre animation and community-based theatre, new theatre and theatre therapy. In the early ‘90s the social theatre stands out as a theatre which continues and renews the reasons that had fed those experiences in order to facilitate the social construction of the individual; the dynamization of interpersonal relations and inter-subjective comprehension; the structuring of entire community and of the smaller social institutions of which the community is comprised (e.g. prisons, hospitals, schools, refugee camps, war zones, etc.) Projects that lay under the definition of social theatre are not limited to take place in "nontheatrical" settings, but they are drawn on the theory that pertains the particular venue where they happen. Moreover the practice of social theatre is a complex process of interdisciplinary performance that links the experience within the group to socio-cultural, economic, and historical context the group emerged from and remained a part of. In this theater the aesthetic, artistic or therapeutic goals are essentially overcome by the aim to support the promotion of individuals, groups and their social body. Social theatre is an instrument of social action generally practiced in time and places of crisis, where the people live a condition of disadvantage and marginalization. Emphasizing the difference between human beings and/or groups, it enhances relationships and solidarity bonds. The book describes also the main tools for a good social theater action, focusing on individual behaviors up to community practices: workshops, performances and rituals.