Notes from an autumn gardener: Reflections on applied theatre and bridging distance

Organized around five characteristics of applied theatre that situate it in terms of bridging distances, this article draws on the author’s experience in order to make larger points about nowhere being too distant to make theatre; the idea that theatre must be done one place rather than another, distancing us from ourselves and what we have to say and do in the world; and the concept that specialness is a matter of innate worth and not celebrity. The five characteristics are that applied theatre is more than plays, is frequently aligned with a counter-cultural or movement context, shrinks distance between people in diverse circumstances, encourages consistency between one’s inner values and outer actions, and renews a relationship to one’s geographic, cultural and/or spiritual roots.