Witnessing the possible : investigating the parent and child audience experience at Theatre for Early Years (TEY)

Thesis

Download PDF

Creator

Rights statement

Awarding institution

Date of award

Thesis identifier

Person Identifier (Local)

Qualification Level

Qualification Name

Department, School or Faculty

Abstract

Live performance designed for children from birth to six years old is a growing field of study and artistic practice. Little research has taken place however into the experience of the adult spectators who accompany the very young children. In live performance for the very youngest, birth to three, these adults are often parents. This thesis investigates how Theatre for Early Years (TEY) spectatorship can be understood within the context of the parent-infant relationship. 50 adults who had attended live performance with a baby or toddler were interviewed, and a case study performance of an immersive theatre event for babies, Float, was video and audio recorded. An interpretive, embodied approach to analysis was taken and themes generated from the multi-modal data. Parents were found to value both unpredictability and safety in TEY; positive experiences were associated with prior knowledge, good communication from artists, and fortuitous alignment with current needs and interests. TEY attendance was found to support parent-child bonding and promote child voice in three ways: 1, enhancing and enabling engagement through responsive companionship; 2, centring the needs and interests of the child when accessing culture; and 3, perceiving aesthetic capacity in the child as a marker of personhood. The conclusions of this study uphold the value of TEY as part of our cultural landscape, emphasising the importance of inclusivity and choice in access.

Advisor / supervisor

Resource Type

DOI

Relations

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Visibility	Actions
	PDF of thesis T17530	2025-11-18	Public	Download