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Despite the ubiquity of theatre projects in prisons there has been little (published) discussion of the application of theatre to the theories of criminology or rehabilitation of offenders, and scant examination of the potential for criminological theories to inform theatre practice in criminal justice settings. This article seeks to address this deficit and argues that positioning prison theatre within the discipline of positive criminology, specifically contemporary theories of desistance from crime, provides a theoretical framework for understanding the contribution that prison theatre might be making in the correctional setting. Through a review of related literature, the article explores how prison theatre may be motivating offenders toward the construction of a more adaptive narrative identity and toward the acquisition of capabilities that might usefully assist them in the process of desisting from crime.

In the absence of a cure for dementia, there is an increasing recognition of the need to develop approaches that address its key impacts of social isolation, depressed mood, and quality of life. In response to these issues, a three-year research project entitled Playful Engagement and Dementia: assessing the efficacy of applied theatre practices for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities was developed in partnership with Wesley Mission Brisbane. The paper reports on data collected within the pilot phase of this project, offering an analysis of the play vocabularies used by two applied theatre artists who interacted, using a relational clowning approach, with 17 residents with mid-to late-stage dementia. The analysis, based on two complementary frameworks, reveals useful insights into the key features of the approach, noting those that were effective in generating 'moments' of engagement and mutual recognition. How the applied theatre artists spontaneously, reflexively, and sensitively applied these vocabularies, tailoring them to each individual's play preferences, interests, and stage of dementia is also examined.

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