Applied Theatre in Paediatrics

Applied Theatre in Paediatrics explores applied theatre practice for children in environments of illness and cure and how it can powerfully normalise children’s hospitalisation experience. It is an essential tool for making meaning of children’s illness, putting it into a fictional context and developing better control of their clinical experiences. It can be central to raising the standards of care and quality of life during illness.

Taken from the author’s research and participatory bedside theatre practice in hospitals before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, this book demonstrates new learning about aesthetics, ethics, emotions, stories, puppetry, digital arts and research methodologies related to children’s health and wellbeing. It provides a selection of ten unique stories told by children, inspired by applied theatre practice in paediatrics, cardiac, oncology, neurosurgery, burns units and complex and intensive care wards. These stories aid in understanding the language of children’s pain, contributing to better assessment and management of pain by healthcare professionals through the arts. It analyses synergistic theatre performance in 'stitched lands' between challenging realities and safe fictionalities. This book enables artists to develop new ways of thinking and contributes to further improvements in education and reflective learning within the field.

It also addresses the emotional labour of the artist in healthcare and makes recommendations for balanced training to prevent emotional exhaustion.

Designed for artists, healthcare professionals, therapists, play specialists, and teachers who work with children in healthcare, this text aims to help many find creative ways of making a positive difference in sick children’s lives. It is a book for those who love and care for children.