Theatre without the politics: global reflections on the depoliticisation of applied theatre and its potential impact on the future of practice

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Applied theatre has become depoliticised over the past 30 years. Distanced from its original socialist conception in the 1960s, applied theatre can be argued to have become complicit in the entrenchment of neoliberal values. This article questions the future of applied theatre if depoliticisation continues at a rapid pace. Applied theatre's depoliticisation will hinder practice when reconfiguring power relations of the future. Drawing from work in Chile, Kenya, and Australia, we adopt a historical perspective and chart the aforementioned depoliticisation. We argue that if applied theatre is to remain a form of political action in 2056, alternative approaches are needed.