Fishes without Legs: Applied theatre process and empowerment among the stateless youth from Myanmar in Mahachai, Samut Sakhon

Abstract

This article discusses ideas from an action research which deploys an approach of Theatre in Education, a form of Applied Theatre processes. The process has been developed to engage with stateless youth who are offspring of Myanmar migrant workers in Mahachai subdistrict, Samut Sakhon province, and attempts to understand their living conditions, points of view and prospects of their life in Thailand. The author presents research data and reflections from a creative drama process that aims to encourage a group of stateless youth to explore community issues and develop an Applied Theatre project that has roots in their communities. The output is a theatre project entitled Fishes without Legs. The project has travelled to perform at performers’ schools and communities as well as at public art and culture festivals. It also participated in activities organised by human rights organisation working with Myanmar migrant workers in Mahachai. The performance aims to communicate with the audience about critical issues of stateless youth’s living conditions in Thailand. At the same time, the theatre process has raised awareness on human rights issues, serving as a mean of empowerment and capacity building that may be useful for this group of stateless youth in the future.