Critical Stages (Dec 2019)
Reminiscence Drama in an Ageing World
Abstract
Today the world’s population is ageing, due to both an ongoing decline in fertility and an accompanying increase in longevity. This poses a myriad of challenges for the elderly, most notably the creative use of leisure time. In this context, drama has the potential to promote a sense of meaning in life. A common relevant practice is reminiscence theatre, which aims to produce performances based on participants’ recorded stories of the past. Reminiscence drama and theatre is based on the theory of “life review,” according to which life is a sequence of choices that the individual can recollect towards the end of their life in order to acquire a sense of personal identity and appreciation, so as to be reconciled with the concept of loss. This paper seeks to explore the use of this theoretical framework in Greece, one of the world’s most ageing countries.
