PLAYBACK THEATRE

 

 

The Findhorn Playback Company came into being to serve the Forgiveness Conference in 1999 and from then began to perform at a variety of conferences and community events. These have included Out Of The Ashes in Edinburgh in 2002, six sessions with the local YMCA in Elgin, birthday parties, people’s goodbyes to their communities and schools when leaving, and performances for people with learning disabilities.

Like the Findhorn Foundation, Playback Theatre is global, with an emphasis on community and service. We are part of the improvisation drama, shamanic storytelling and ritual theatre tradition and create theatre from our audience’s stories as catharsis, release and entertainment and as a way of honouring our shared humanity. In addition to being members of the Findhorn family we are a member of the International Playback Theatre Network. Playback Theatre originated in America in 1975 and has since expanded to include over 100 companies spanning 40 countries.

We still remember the first story ever told to our company at our opening gig. It was a woman’s story of an important date and how her trousers split. It was her story and of course all our stories. Other memories include a reluctant husband, brought along by his wife, telling his story and after the enactment, sharing how amazing it was to be so deeply listened to, and a disabled young man getting so excited at seeing his story that he jumped up on stage and joined in. Over the years the company have also shared their own stories with each other and experienced immeasurable support for the joys and tribulations of our everyday lives. As the Irish say, it’s such good craic!

Joan Wilmot