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CHAPTER FIVE: DATA ANALYSIS
Out of Space
In this second series I explored building the three lessons on a contemporary
issue, in this case the refugee crisis. I wanted to learn more about how
ownership of this problem can be created in the story. I also explored using
iconic representations of objects and what are the differences in the Cathexis
of these and physical objects. The basic story line was the following:
Out of Space was set in the year 2316 when the resources on the Earth are
running out, and society is massively divided based on wealth. Most of
the rich have moved to planet B17 but poor people cannot get permits for
this travel. The participants built roles for themselves and played people
who have been able to collect enough money to try getting smuggled to B17.
The drama sessions started with the group creating a still image of a group of
people escaping from Earth in a spacecraft in the moment of its lift-off. Most
of the lesson looked at what happened to Earth and at what the reasons are for
undertaking this dangerous and illegal journey for these people. A whole group
improvisation of the group’s first meeting with the smuggler was also part
of the lesson. The second lesson focussed on participants building individual
roles, partly based on the ID numbers they got at their birth, determining what
school they can go to and what work they will have. Participants worked on
how they and their families got the money together for the journey and what
their aspirations were for the future. Improvisations during the series were
based on getting through obstacles on the way to the secret take off and then
situations during the journey. The group got a chance to take back all the money
the smuggler (teacher in role) extorted out of them and they defeated him, and
blackmailed the smuggler to fly them to the planet. The third lesson finished
with the group landing
on planet B17 and getting
caught by security forces
who tell them that they
will be deported to
a work camp. Finally,
they got an offer that if
they report on those on
Earth who helped them
escape they might get
concessions. The story
was suspended at this
point and continued
in different directions
individually. Drawing from the project diary a participant.
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