Deploying performance poetry in dispelling HIV and AIDS stigma: An applied theatre approach

Abstract

The article is based on an applied theatre project facilitated by Cletus Moyo at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa from 2009 to 2010. We argue that performance poetry deployed within an applied theatre paradigm has the potential to unlock the silence around HIV and AIDS issues in a way that opens up these issues for discussion and makes them accessible for exploration, even in contexts where speaking about these issues is taboo. The project targeted young people belonging to the age group that is most heavily hit by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Notably, the young generation is also more open to performance poetry as an artform, making it more appropriate in dealing with issues affecting them. Performance poetry is a language of emotions and an artform that emphasizes speaking out. These two qualities render performance poetry a powerful medium for addressing HIV and AIDS stigma, a phenomenon that is embedded in the culture of silence.

A Mixed-method Analysis of Community-Engaged Theatre Illuminates Black Women’s Experiences of Racism and Addresses Healthcare Inequities by Targeting Provider Bias

“…For example, Augusto Boal's use of 'Theatre of the Oppressed' asks the audience to actively participate in theatrical productions through interactions between the audience and performers, allowing the audience to analyze and affect how performances unfold, and providing a platform to discuss pertinent social justice issues. 7 Applied theatre approaches have been used to reduce stigma surrounding HIV, 8,9 youth depression and suicide, 10 autism, 11 and in health promotion for Indigenous communities. 12 Solomon's 13 use of Ideologically Challenging Entertainment (ICE) is similar to Applied Theatre methods in that both embrace social justice-oriented goals.…”

Bridging the humanities and health care with theatre: Theory and outcomes of a theatre-based model for enhancing psychiatric care via stigma reduction.

“…One example of this is Augusto Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” that incorporates audience participation alongside performers, affecting not only the audience’s analysis but also the production of the theatrical performance itself, and allows opportunity for dialogue on issues of social justice (Howard, 2004). As an approach to social justice promotion, applied theatre has been utilized to reduce stigma surrounding HIV (Moyo & Sibanda, 2019; Quarcoo, 2012), youth depression and suicide (Sawyer & Earle, 2019), autism (Massa et al, 2020), and in health promotion for Indigenous communities (Baldwin, 2009).…”

Narrative Theater to Examine and Mitigate Anti-Black Racism Within Occupational Therapy

“…Augusto Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” was foundational in establishing the theatrical stage as a platform for audiences to actively engage with and discuss social justice issues. Similar theater approaches have been used to reduce stigma for other populations such as Indigenous communities ( Baldwin, 2009 ) and people with HIV ( Moyo & Sibanda, 2019 ). Solomon (2019) suggested that the use of “entertainment” could “inspire audiences to re-think their own prejudices, biases, and preconceived notions about groups they may consider ‘other’” (p. 178) in ways that less entertaining media could not.…”