Theatre in health education: Getting the act together

This article identifies some of the problems associated with using Theatre in Health Education and suggests a number of key principles which are inherent in the use of Theatre in Education (TIE) and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).One of the most provocative and exciting developments to take place in health promotion in recent years has been the emergence and development of Theatre in Health Education (THE). Since the establishment of the Theatre in Health Education Trust in Birmingham in 1988 there has been a marked increase in the number of health authorities who have commissioned Theatre in Education (TIE) and community theatre companies to devise and tour Theatre in Health Education programmes. Likewise TIE companies have become increasingly interested in devising programmes on health related themes and issues. More than half of the TIE companies who have listed recent programmes in McGillivray's Theatre Guide (McGillivray 1994) have examined a health related theme.However, despite numerous examples of good THE practice (Ball 1993) TIE companies and health authorities have not always made good bedfellows. There remain a number of problems concerning the use of drama and theatre in health promotion.The problems can be broadly described as: a) lack of statusb) problems regarding evaluationc) lack of shared philosophy amongst theatre practitioners and health workersd) lack of training opportunitiese) lack of resources