Review of Phakama: Making Participatory Performance

Abstract

This is a book review of a collection of case studies, interviews, descriptions of exercises and philosophical writing about Phakama, a collaborative, participant-centered and intercultural theatre project for young people. The project originated in Johannesburg, South Africa, and spread across the country and the world to impact young people, their facilitators and their communities from 1996 to 2016. The review discusses the concept of democracy, as represented in the book, and its effect on the practices revealed in its pages. These practices are characterized by two principles that are discussed, with examples, in the review: the principles of mutual dependence and of boundary crossing. Without glossing over the difficulties that may come with such work, freely discussing and acknowledging difficult moments of intercultural interaction, Phakama, the book and the movement, is a testament to 20 years of ground-breaking theatre work that forges a way of working that exemplifies a democratic orientation, giving voice to a kaleidoscope of perspectives.