Boldly trauma-conscious and survivor-led theatre and participation arts for social change.
Coming soon:
COMPLEX
"Not them.
Me.
Tell me."
A play with songs unpacking the Kafkaesque phenomenon of being told you are “too complex” for complex trauma treatment.
Calling on sci-fi, nonsense poetry, melodrama and music where realism just isn't real enough, we might have to sing to you once or twice - but only when we really don't know what else to do.
Meet our post-traumatic community...
RATS!
Next Session:
Sunday 12th October, 2-5pm
at
Old Diorama Arts Centre
201 Drummond Street
Regent's Place
London NW1 3FE
Following sessions:
9th November, 7th December
Supported by Old Diorama Arts Centre, National Lottery Awards for All and City Bridge Foundation
Introducing
RAT LAB
A professional development programme for theatre-makers who identify as experiencing or at risk of post-traumatic stress, who are trying to start theatre projects with the ambition of affecting change in a topic that matters to them.
Supported by Old Diorama Arts Centre and City Bridge Foundation
Introductory Sessions (all 11am-5pm at Old Diorama Arts Centre):
Sunday 24th August:
checklist for designing a theatre project with an activism element
Saturday 27th September:
facilitation skills and finding your style
Saturday 18th October:
how to talk and write about your work​
RAT
Response Ability Theatre makes socially conscious work to represent and support people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, trauma. Our shows reflect contemporary experience in poetic ways, and we offer workshops to survivors and care providers for improved communicative confidence and general wellbeing.
It can be pretty difficult for any of us to feel human these days. With our deep-rooted structures of 'civilisation' constantly pitting us against each other, very few of us escape being made to feel like vermin at some point in our lives. And few of us can say we haven't done the same to others.
We tell stories of systemic exclusion with vivid attention to the impact it has on the human psyche. We see indignity and cruelty alike as symptoms of systemic failures of which we are all victims. We invite our audiences to recognise themselves and each other in the stories we tell, with humility, empathy, humour, and enthusiasm for the change we all can enact through collective awareness, forgiveness and kindness.
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We aim for our audiences and participants who meet us feeling like rats, to leave us feeling that bit more human.
We're RATtling our buckets...
We rely on donations to make sure our regular offer for survivors can continue uninterrupted - which is so important for building trust, and creating the necessary safety for community cohesion and post-traumatic growth.
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£10 a month funds one person's expenses for participating in our core group.
£25 a month pays for an hour of preparation or evaluation time, so we can dedicate the time our survivors deserve to making their time with us count.
£50 a month pays for an hour of session delivery for our lead facilitator or one of our welfare leads, so we can provide the support that allows for a truly brave space.
Or if you can't afford to donate right now, you could choose us as your supported charity on Give As You Live and raise funds for us when you shop with selected retailers, without any additional cost to you!
We are grateful for the support of our recent and current funders and supporters:
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