Scene & heard : and the moment of enchantment

Abstract

This thesis is an aesthetic, social and social-aesthetic investigation of events organised by the organization Scene & Heard in Somers Town, London. Scene & Heard is a mentoring project that partners children (9-14) from culturally complex, and comparatively deprived backgrounds with volunteer professional theatre workers. The organization utilizes the immediacy of theatrical events to give the children a public experience of personal success to boost their self-esteem and raise their aspirations. This thesis looks at the aesthetic components and social agents that come into play in the leading up to, and coming about of the events. It further investigates the effect this work has on all parties involved; the children, the volunteers and the audience members. The findings are filtered through pragmatically chosen theoretical concepts by Erica Fischer-Lichte, Richard Schechner, Victor Turner, Willmar Sauter and Darren O’Donnell in search for the Moment of Enchantment.