The word ‘Theatre’ can come with a stigma attached, sometimes.

People can assume that theatre is expensive, snobbish and elitist. There can be a view that it’s full of Luvvies who insist on calling individuals, “darling” and addressing groups of people as “loves”. To some, theatre is all about watching someone recite their lines without bumping into the furniture. To those whose memories of school drama lessons are stuck firmly in their minds, theatre is no more than “finding a space” and “pretending to be a tree”.

To us, theatre is so much more than the stuffy, exclusive and airy-fairy image it can sometimes project. Our view, our philosophy, is that theatre, acting, playing and being creative gives us a chance to bring people together in a safe, entertaining and informative way. It can be a way to explore the lives of others and educate and raise awareness through a fun and shared medium.

The process of performing and watching theatre affects people in ways that film and television cannot. Theatre is so ephemeral, immediate, in the moment and with no chances to call “cut” and try it again.

There is an advantage to exploring issues while keeping yourself completely distanced from it at the same time. For example, when you’re in the centre of a difficult situation, it’s much harder to decide what the best solution might be. Theatre gives you chance to have a look at that situation from the outside, from another point of view, by playing a character that is different from you, or simply observing a character in a similar situation to yourself.

What we focus on is Social Theatre, which is a form of theatre that is far removed from the celebrity filled money-spinners from the west end. Social theatre is a public service, it is inclusive, and it is blind to the notion that colour, culture and disability can be a hindrance. It can give a voice to those who can’t speak out and create a dialogue where none existed before. It holds a mirror up to the world.

We’re looking forward to holding this mirror up throughout our expeditions. When visiting different cultures throughout the world we’ll encounter issues and difficulties that we may not be familiar with in our lives back in England. That said, there’s a very good chance that we’ll encounter issues that affect us all. To have the opportunity to engage with the many people we’ll meet through social theatre is very exciting.

For more information about social theatre, theatre-in-education and creativity projects please see Actionwork theatre film and education projects.