Project CREATE meets Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (CSSD)

Venue: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (CSSD) Date: 8th June 2024

Exploring Youth Mental Health Through Theatre: A Workshop Insight

Our recent regional workshop featured nine talented student artists from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (CSSD) who kindly agreed to participate in our investigation into ways of interpreting art created by young people to inform youth mental health.

Setting the Stage: Icebreakers and Theatre Games The workshop began with a series of lively theatre games and icebreakers. These activities were not just fun but crucial in fostering trust and comfort among participants. Through play and performance, the young artists showcased some incredible mini-acts, setting a creative and collaborative tone for the day.

Crafting Theatrical Narratives: A Dive into Youth Perspectives: Participants were then split into two groups and given a term, known only to their group, as a prompt to develop a short play. They had 30 minutes to brainstorm and create a theatrical piece that expressed their term. Despite the brief timeframe, the results were extraordinary: one group presented a poignant depiction of mental health, while the other explored the theme of loneliness. Both performances were so impactful that they later evolved into two distinct short films.

The first act ingeniously portrayed the pressures of childhood and early life experiences through a game show format. It illustrated how these factors influence adult life, highlighting the challenges and complexities faced by young individuals. The second performance delved into the multifaceted nature of loneliness. It portrayed scenarios ranging from pandemic isolation to the struggles of minority voices, showcasing how loneliness can permeate different aspects of life and society.

Reflecting on Performances: Unpacking Viewer Responses After the performances, we engaged in thought-provoking discussions with the young artists. The focus was on how viewers interpreted the acts, exploring also the implications of responding to the art individually versus in groups, and considering the role of context in these interpretations. Notably, each group was unaware of the other’s term, which led to genuine, uninfluenced reactions to the performances.

One participant noted that not knowing the context allowed them to pay closer attention to every detail of the performance, leading to a more nuanced interpretation. In contrast, knowing the term might have directed their focus toward how well the performance depicted that specific concept.

Discussions also highlighted the differences between individual and group analyses. Most participants noted that while individual reflections captured immediate, personal impressions, group discussions broadened perspectives and deepened understanding. This dynamic interplay between personal and collective insights, according to some, enriched the interpretation of the performances and underscored the value of diverse viewpoints in evaluating art.

Insights and Implications for Mental Health Research: The workshop provided rich data and valuable insights into how different academic disciplines can engage with youth-created art in mental health research. By examining how young people interpret and react to artistic expressions, we can better understand their experiences and perspectives, ultimately informing more empathetic and effective approaches to youth mental health.