Theatre of Good Intentions examines limitations of theatre in the creation of social and political change. This book looks at some of the reasons why achieving such goals is hard; examining what theatre can and can't do. It examines a range of applied and political theatre case studies, focusing on theatre's impact on participants and spectators.

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction: Why Do We Want to Use Theatre to Make Social Change? PART I: IMPACTING PARTICIPANTS 1. Theatre of Good Intentions 2. Participatory Theatre and the Problem of Dominant Discourse 3. Embedded in Institutions, Beholden to Institutional Forces 4. Publishing under Apartheid: OUP in South Africa PART II: IMPACTING AUDIENCES 4. Catharsis, Critical Distance, and Change 5. Spectatorship, community, and 'otherness' 6. Responding to Contemporary Events in an Era of Instant Gratification CONCLUSION: Real Change in the Real World Bibliography Index