"I can say no if I get a no-feeling" – how theater promotes prevention
"I can say no if I get a no-feeling" – how theater promotes prevention
Interview with Simone Heiser, Theater Educator and Actor at the theaterpädagogischen werkstatt Osnabrück (English: Theater Pedagogy Workshop Osnabrück)
29.09.2016
The REHACARE trade fair showcases a wide range of auxiliary aids and services for people with disabilities. The theaterpädagogische werkstatt Osnabrück also wants to give trade fair visitors an important tool with its theatrical play "Ja! und Nein! und Lass das sein!" (English: Yes! And No! And Don't Do That!). It's called language. The play identifies negative emotions and gives people with disabilities the courage to talk about them.
Simone Heiser wants to encourage people with disabilities to say no when they have a feeling of no through short scenes from everyday life and interaction with the audience.
In this interview with REHACARE.com, actor Simone Heiser talks about the rights of persons with disabilities, 'yes' and 'no' feelings and the connection between theater and sexual abuse prevention.
Ms. Heiser, what is your theatrical play about?
Simone Heiser: It's about the right to set boundaries. As a theater education workshop, sexual abuse prevention is our primary focus and very important to us. We started more than 20 years ago with a theatrical play about prevention for elementary school students called "My Body Belongs to Me". Over the years, we also presented the play at schools for special needs and disability workshops. Since we worked with both young and adult people with disabilities, we quickly reached our limits with the existing program. We subsequently created the theatrical play about prevention called "Yes! And No! And Don't Do That!" During a number of consecutive scenes featuring problems of increasing severity, we interact with the participants.
How is this play better suited for people with disabilities than "My Body Belongs to Me"?
Heiser: It's about a different right. It's about adults who not only have their own language but also their own adult sexuality. Everyone – whether they have a disability or not – has the right to express their own sexuality. This idea is also enshrined in Articles 2 and 3 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany: "Every person shall have the right to free expression of his personality" and "No person shall be discriminated against on the grounds of his disability." In simple language and lots of interaction, we mutually experience that all people have the same basic rights and are allowed to set physical boundaries. We meet the participants at eye level by conveying emotions versus information thanks to the theater format. Less talk and more action.
Simone Heiser and Stephan Tillmanns use simple language and pictures to help give feelings a name.
How do you involve your visitors?
Heiser: "Yes! And No! And Don't Do That!" is an interactive theater medley that seeks to help label your feelings. For example, we ask the participants about the situations where they experienced a feeling of 'yes'. Needless to say, you get a variety of different answers such as holding hands with your partner or talking to your best friend for example. Then we talk about 'no' feelings. Being excluded from a group elicits the same no-feeling as does being grabbed by your genitals without your express consent. In doing so, we ultimately get to the term of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is a no-feeling.
Sexual abuse is a very sensitive subject. From your perspective, how is theater suited as a medium for abuse discussion?
Heiser: Images are sometimes easier to understand than many words. The actual concept of sexual abuse is hard to define. It is much easier to understand for participants if we convey it in easy-to-understand language and reinforce it with images. Images are better remembered and evoke emotions. Especially in people with disabilities and a wide range of different cognitive abilities, theatrical plays with images are the best method to make complex concepts or ideas more understandable.
The theatre-pedagogical workshop in Osnabrück makes prevention theatre. An important message from it: talking helps!
What is the key message of the play?
Heiser: The play has several hidden messages but the key message is simple: "I can say no if I have a no-feeling feeling and I can say yes if I have a yes-feeling." The main emphasis is self-determination. I have the right to determine what happens to my body.
What is the takeaway message for participants?
Heiser: Our stories always end with stopping the sexual abuse. We give the audience a solution that is comprehensible and easy to replicate. We show that there is always an opportunity to talk in case sexual abuse occurs. There are people who are willing to listen and help. This is a very important realization. We have received a lot of positive feedback about this so far. My experience has shown me that the participants leave our play with the courage to talk about their no-feelings.
What feeling does the audience have when they leave the play?
Heiser: The audience leaves with a yes-feeling.
The interview was conducted by Elena Blume and translated from German by Elena O'Meara. REHACARE.com