Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival: Methods for Theatrical Practice in Conflict Zones

We are working on two levels; the obvious, the story, the scenarios, the characters.
The other is the invisible, the luminous, the spirit-world.

Viola Spolin, Actor, Director, Educator

Methods for Theatrical Practice in Conflict Zones – Equality and Solidarity Theatre Workshop Model and Presentation by Frédérique Lecomte, Director, Theater & Reconciliation, Belgium and the Congo

Date and Time: Thursday 19 September, 3-5pm
Venue: Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin
Moderator: Dr Eric Weitz, Smashing Times
Category: Workshop and Talk
Tickets: 5 Euro. Open to artists, activists and interested citizens

Booking: Book here

DETAILS OF EVENT

Smashing Times and Frontline are bringing Belgium woman Frédérique Lecomte to Ireland to present on her extraordinary wok using creative processes to promote conflict resolution and reconciliation in the Congo. Frédérique is Director of Belgian company Theater & Reconciliation and she will speak about her unique Method for Theatrical Practice in Conflict Zones that she had developed using creative processes to promote conflict resolution and reconciliation. Frédérique will conduct a selection of exercises from a new Equality and Solidarity theatre workshop model that uses creative processes of theatre to promote a remembrance of stories of solidarity during WWII, exploring what happens when totalitarianism takes over and the role of the EU today to promote peace, democracy and equality. This fun-based theatre workshop promotes links between local heritage and European memory with a focus on intercultural dialogue at a European level. This is a practical based workshop followed by a presentation. The workshop requires active participation in games and exercises. Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended.

The work is presented as part of the European project Comet Lines: Freedom Trails of Europe conducted by Smashing Times, Ireland; Theater & Reconciliation, Belgium; IFESCOOP, Spain and the University of Humanities and Economics (AHE), Poland, supported by the Europe for Citizens programme of the European Union, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Communicating Europe Initiative 2019.

‘I create on the difficulty of putting together people who normally hate each other, kill each other, take revenge, suspect each other, consider the other as part of an inferior humanity. There, I act, I combine, I mix. I rock the limits of fear, fear of others, fear of oneself.’ Frédérique Lecomte, Theater & Reconciliation, Method for Theatrical Practice in Conflict Zones , The Stolen Letter, 2015

Theater & Reconciliation was founded in 1994 in Belgium by director Frédérique Lecomte and aims to perpetuate a particular dramaturgical practice that works, through theatre, to empower marginalized or vulnerable communities and to promote conflict resolution and reconciliation. This work is based on an original method, designed and developed by Frédérique Lecomte and the rehearsals mix professional and amateur actors to create a happy, political and unbridled theater that dares to say aloud what everyone thinks in a low voice, giving the floor to those who are deprived of it.

Structure

Welcome by Moderator Dr Eric Weitz, Smashing Times

Equality and Solidarity Theatre Workshop – Selection of Games and Exercises by Frédérique Lecomte,

Presentation by Frédérique Lecomte, Director, Theater & Reconciliation, Belgium speaking about her method for theatre practice in conflict zones including her work with child soldiers in the Congo

Q and A and Closing Remarks by Moderator