From You to Me for Linguists
From You to Me is the outcome of a research and creative practice collaboration developed to translate our later-life language variation research into a verbatim theatre production. Its aims are to educate audiences about sociolinguistic diversity and promote sociolinguistic equality in the community.
Publication
The article below, published in the Journal of English Linguistics, details the conception, production, delivery and impact potential of From You to Me; it serves as a guide for scholars who would like to adopt verbatim theatre for their own engagement initiatives.
Supplementary materials relating to the From You to Me production, and mentioned in the publication, can be accessed below:
- Press release published by Newcastle University (13 September 2021).
- Press coverage in The Chronicle newspaper (15 September 2021).
- Marketing materials (at Northern Stage, November 2022).
- Theatre programme for public performances (November 2022).
- Independent Theatre Council (Rates of Pay).
Resources
Linguists interested in learning more about research-based drama may find the sources below useful. (Verbatim drama, ethnodrama and documentary drama are different approaches to research-based drama. Outside of the UK, ‘verbatim theatre (recorded delivery)’ is also referred to as ‘headphone verbatim theatre’.)
Barone, Tom. 2008. How arts-based research can change minds. In Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor & Richard Siegesmund (eds) Arts-Based Research in Education: Foundations for Practice. London: Routledge. 28-46.
This chapter argues in favour of arts-based research outreach, and provides key recommendations for communicating socially engaged research to the public using arts-based research.
Garson, Cyrielle. 2014. Remixing politics: The case of headphone-verbatim theatre in Britain. Journal of Contemporary Drama in English 2(1). 50-62.
This article provides useful background about verbatim theatre (recorded delivery), exploring its validity and significance as a platform from which to motivate political action.
Goldstein, Tara, Julia Gray, Jennifer Salisbury & Pamela Snell. 2014. When qualitative research meets theater: The complexities of performed ethnography and research-informed theater project design. Qualitative Inquiry 20(5). 674-685.
The authors raise useful questions to consider by those wanting to do research-based drama/ ethnodrama, and highlight the importance of considering research, aesthetic and pedagogical design in all research-based arts work.
Hammond, Will & Dan Steward. 2008. verbatim verbatim: Contemporary documentary theatre. London: Oberon Books.
This is a collection of interviews with leading verbatim theatre-markers who discuss the strengths, limitations and opportunities of verbatim theatre as well as its ethical responsibilities.
Leavy, Patricia. 2020. Methods meets arts: Arts-based research practice. 3rd edn. London: Guilford Press.
This book is a guide to a wide range of arts-based research practices, with practical advice and useful checklists.
Paget, Derek. 1987. 'Verbatim theatre': Oral history and documentary. New Theatre Quarterly 3(12). 317-336.
This paper shares interviews with theatre professionals to trace the development of verbatim theatre; it outlines its characteristic working methods, and examines the scope if its influence.
Saldaña, Johnny. 2003. Dramatizing data: A primer. Qualitative Inquiry 9(2). 218-236.
This primer shares insights and advice for playwriting ethnographic drama from a playwright’s perspective. It offers an overview of fundamental playwriting principles such as plotting, characterisation, monologues, dialogue and staging.
Wake, Caroline. 2013. Headphone verbatim theatre: Methods, histories, genres, theories. New Theatre Quarterly 29(4). 321-335.
With reference to the works of Alecky Blythe and Roslyn Oades, two pioneering practitioners of verbatim theatre (recorded delivery), this article explores the form’s history, methods, genres and theories.