Applied Theatre as a Medium of Communal Communication: 'access to Justice' Project in Kwale, Kenya

Abstract

The idea of applied theatre is based on the fact that societies have used oral performances as a channel of communication and socialization across time and space. The participants of these events deal with the immediate concerns of their communities in the process of performances. The objective of the study described in this chapter is to explore the role of the applied theatre movement in Africa to end conflict, build peace and address the current realities of African society. The applied theatre practice discussed in this study is the ‘Access to Justice’ project in Kwale County, Kenya. In teaching marginalized communities, the Kenya Oral Literature Association uses this strategy in order to explain the concept and ways of ‘Access to Justice’. The project utilizes applied theatre to reflect, rethink and provoke discussion on peace and conflict management. applied theatre, Access to Justice, Kwale, Kenya, Africa, Digo, KOLA, civic education, communal communication, local development, conflict management, oral performance, marginalized community, regional inequality, Kenyan coast, theatre for development.