Developing Theatre for the Young in Malaysia: Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

This study investigates how young people in Malaysia enjoy theatre or find it relevant at all in the era of television, films and technology. The research was done using three approaches: A Naturalistic Inquiry methodology where the research was done at site which is in Kinabatangan, in East Malaysia with 25 young people to develop a script; a creative arts methodology was done in the studio where the script was explored and developed into a performance; the last phase of the research used a primary qualitative methodology to explore how young audiences watch theatre in which the research instruments used were questionnaires and open-ended interviews. There were 9 respondents from a Primary School and 23 respondents from a secondary School. This research that came out of the practice, enabled the researcher to investigate children’s life experiences and listen to themThe knowledge gathered is that the young in Malaysia are definitely excited about theatre which communicates to them and which has aesthetic, entertaining, imaginative and educational merits. The research connected the young in East Malaysia as participants who contributed to the script with the young in West Malaysia who performed it and young audiences who watched it.