What are the lived experiences of theatre practice and disability among professional directors and actors in theatres funded by Arts Council England? An interpretative phenomenological analysis

A growing number of theatre and disability scholars, activists, artists, and critics have called for the increased and accurate onstage representation of disabled people in theatre. Arts Council England’s shift in diversity strategy brought a new dynamic to this long-running debate. Since 2015 its funded theatre organisations have been required to demonstrate progress towards increasing workplace opportunities for disabled people alongside other minority communities. Still, it is rare for an actor with a physical impairment to be cast in an onstage role in any major theatre.

Drawing on the rich history and critical knowledge of disability studies, and considering emerging theatre practice from a phenomenological perspective, the aims of this thesis are: to understand more about why non-disabled directors and disabled actors are choosing to, or not to, work together; to facilitate open sharing of personal experiences of theatre practice and disability among directors and actors; and to motivate policy based on lived experiences of practice and impact long-term change.

Key concepts of lived experience are drawn upon in the thesis to analyse current theatre practice from an individual perspective. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis is used to facilitate exploration of real-life experiences of theatre practice and disability among professional actors and directors employed in Arts Council England’s most highly funded theatres across England. Interviews were carried out with seven actors with physical impairments who self-define as disabled people, and twelve directors who consider themselves non-disabled people.

Interview data revealed what is happening when a shift from the outside-in, in Arts Council England’s diversity strategy, impacts an inside-out view of intrapersonal and interpersonal processes of engagement with disability in theatre. Extending beyond assumptions of casting or funding requirements, this gave rise to complex and entirely personal responses reflected in six emergent superordinate themes and subthemes. Concerning actor-participants, this study enables detailed discussion around the impact of theatre on perceptions of identity, navigating directors’ inexperience of disability, and wrestling with authenticity. Regarding director participants, it opens discussion around disability consciousness, narratives of caution and confidence, and perceptions of external constraints on casting.

A synthesis of findings led to the proposal of stages in a process of engagement with theatre practice and disability for actors and directors. Naming a process of engagement that understands individuals working in theatre as having a particular distance from disability, and captures steps towards routinely and effectively working together, may be beneficial in moving progress towards the accurate representation of disabled people in theatre.