Drama education in the age of AIDS

Abstract

This article arose out of my involvement in an undergraduate drama module at the School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, where I made use of workshop theatre methodologies to explore how secondyear drama students construct knowledge and develop sociocultural understandings of critical issues in society. The workshop theatre project described in this article aimed to allow drama students to explore and expose the myths, practices and world view associated with the sexual behaviour of young people in two townships and on two campuses. The purpose was to ensure that, as prospective teachers, these students are prepared with knowledge and skills to engage their future learners on this topic in a relevant and effective manner. The article draws on the theories of applied drama and argues for workshopping as a cogent means of researching and representing social issues. The data-gathering process undertaken by students, and the plays constructed from the analysis are described. I conclude with a discussion on how the methodology reflected the beliefs and attitudes of the participants in a contextualised manner, exposing a flaw in their image of the sexually liberated and independent young woman. I also show how the approach allowed me to develop an emancipatory pedagogy which endows students with authority.