Breathing Space

I investigate the idea of cross-community (CCPT) professional theatre as a means of dissolving fixed geographical landscapes. Key to this is the synergy between mainstream and community theatre. I explore how theatre facilitates conversations across differences.‘Differences’ encompass questions of geographical, class and racial divides as well as the ideological differences between mainstream and community theatre. CCPT involves working with people from different communities around specific issues. Professional actors collaborate with non- professional actors to create and perform a piece of theatre. Cross-community also refers to the idea of theatre providing a framework for conversations between different communities.I unpack the notion of landscape in relation to memory and story, with particular reference to how landscape and memory can be transformed through story. Key to this is the idea of external and internal spaces of geographical and psycho-emotional landscapes.Pivotal to this investigation is Breathing Space, a production that took place in the West Coast Town of Darling and explored women’s stories in domestic spaces.