Behind The Label
Promo 6_1.mp4Behind the Label is an applied theatre project, giving a voice to people who’ve experienced difficulties such as homelessness, low self-esteem, addiction and mental health issues. Over several months, the group take part in drama workshops, learn theatre and life skills and ultimately create and perform their own hard-hitting theatre production, sharing eye-opening personal stories on stage
Behind the Label (BTL) is an Applied Theatre project created by TVO in partnership with the Wales Millennium Centre and The Wallich. The ground breaking project worked with a group of people who all had two things in common – they had all experienced a form of homelessness and all had suffered severe self esteem issues. Some were battling demons of alcoholism and drug addiction, some had suffered domestic and/or sexual abuse, others had mental health issues, some had learning difficulties. All had been labelled by society in some form or another and felt that nobody saw or cared about who they were behind those labels. BTL’s goal was to empower them to tell their stories and show that they are far more than their labels may imply.
BTL offered two pathways. In pathway 1 participants completed an 18-week internship exploring what goes into the staging and presentation of theatre, from ushering to marketing, light design to set build. In pathway 2 participants an 18-week internship studying Applied Theatre and learning about creating, devising and acting. Both pathways culminate in a full scale production of a performance also entitled Behind the Label, where participants explore their own stories in a performance that is funny, entertaining, and simultaneously heart breaking. What stands out is the courage of all participants to take ownership of their stories and speak out on their terms.
