Theatre in Health and Wellbeing: A First Nations Australian Approach

The health education theatre works produced by Ilbijerri Theatre Company since 2006 represent a contemporary continuation of cultural storytelling, performance, education, and healing ceremonies that have been practised by Australian First Nations communities for millennia. While these works can be seen as standalone examples of First Nations theatre practice, they also intersect with theatre in education, theatre in health education, and theatre for development—collectively situated under the banner of ‘applied theatre’ in Western theatre studies. The integration of contemporary Australian First Nations performance practice with applied theatre is unique, making a study of these works significant for a global audience. This chapter provides a contextual review of contemporary First Nations dramaturgies in Australia and their relationship to community wellbeing, strength, and resistance. It is followed by a discussion of focused theatre for health education programs in First Nations and global majority contexts. By bringing together these strands, we aim to situate the health education works produced by Ilbijerri within a theoretical framework that extends beyond the notion of ‘social impact’ into a more holistic conception of wellbeing that offers a foundation for subsequent discussion in the book.