b'Short Essays Evie HayesDiscuss the purpose and value of theatre as a healing tool in healthcare and wider care settings. Draw on contemporary policy and practice and make a case for its implementation, using research to support your ideas.From the level-two module Theatre and Health.Short EssaysEvie HayesRegardless of the use of theatre as a healing tool in carea Greek term translated as purgation or purification settings, theatre has been embedded in our society for a(Encyclopaedia Britannica 2018). The most popular tools long time. Raymond Williams spoke about a dramatizedwithin theatre therapy are role-play and improvisation society, illustrating how drama and theatre isnt onlyaround a certain theme, these can be used both in a group, for audience[s] for particular plays. It is that drama, inor in an individual session with a client and the drama quite new ways, is built into the rhythms of everydaytherapist (Jones 1996). It allows someone whos been life (Williams 1983: 12). Theatre has always been aboutrestricted to a wheelchair or limited to a psychiatric ward human connection and allowing people to not onlyto experience other walks of life or revisit their own. Its explore their own truths, but to discover and explore thesole purpose is to allow those involved to experiment society that we live in. While medicine is traditionallyways to share their feelings and to be able to achieve considered a healing profession (Egnew 2005), thecatharsis (a purge of the emotions) so that when the session modern society we live in has begun to recognise thatis over, they leave feeling refreshed and happier (Stickels, to define healing is a complex situation and that it nown.d.). Across the world there are many organisations and includes mental wellbeing, as well as physical health. Thecharities that make theatre available to those who want value of using theatre as a healing tool in care settings isto explore it. I will talk about Stand Up To Mental Health, therefore indispensable. From my personal experience,in Canada, which uses comedy as a creative outlet, and I have engaged with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, asthe Forget Me Not project in East Devon, which uses well as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Servicesreminiscence theatre to aid those who live with dementia (CAMHS) with the NHS. To be able to openly discuss yourin a care home environment. Stand Up for Mental feelings without being judged or labelled was one of theHealth was set up in 2004 in Canada by David Granirer, hardest things Ive done. To use theatre as a medium fora comedian and a mental health keynote speaker. This communication means that people feel freer to be honest,specific organisations aim is to use stand-up comedy as but it also means that youre not sat in a room on youra supplemental therapy (Walsh 2013: 89). While this own, youre in a group of similar people. Theatre therapyorganisation is meant to destigmatise mental health is about development as the drama does not serve thedisorders, it has other effects, laughing at our setbacks therapy, the drama process contains the therapy (Walshraises us above them. It makes people go from despair 2013: 42). This explanation clarifies that it is the personalto hope (Granirer, n.d.). This organisation has got people realisations and growth that comes from the process oftogether and performed over 500 shows throughout theatre therapy and not the end product. It rarely aimsCanada and America. These shows have had public to make drama for a stage, but to give any individual theaudiences, including military and government departments, space to explore their experiences/conditions. and were recognised as beneficial. This study is crucial to use as evidence in this argument, as many people dont Using theatre as a therapy tool and explicitly as a form ofinclude comedy within theatre, but it cannot be ignored. therapy is a relatively new concept; however, historicallyWhile this study shows the effect comedy has on young there have always been underlying therapeutic values.people, it should be noted that it is supervised by the Aristotle spoke about how catharsis is a result of theatre:North American Drama Therapy Association, established 25'