what is devising?
theatre that begins without a script.
A devised theatre process “typically begins with little more than a rehearsal space and a group of eager, committed theatre practitioners.” -TDF Theatre Dictionary
While devised theatre is often associated with contemporary works, its improvisational core has strong ties to the earliest theatre of the Greco-Roman era. For centuries, the practice of theatre grew and flourished without the use of scripts but, rather, with troupes of actors and creatives who developed stories through exploration, physical storytelling, and lots of “play” time.
Within recent decades, devised theatre has become an increasingly relevant practice of theatre related to social justice issues. By empowering a collective group to explore social issues, controversies, or phenomena within their own community, devised theatre is a driver towards starting conversations and finding common ground.
