Editorial introduction

This chapter provides insight into a long-running programme of research exploring the value for people's sense of well-being and resilience of being involved in theatre. The project represents a successful example of a creative, participatory research programme. The authors focus mainly on the process of the research and their reflections on that process. None the less, the chapter also indicates that taking part in such a research programme may have consequences that arise out of the act of participation.

Introduction

Ages and Stages is a continuing collaboration between researchers at Keele University and colleagues at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastleunder- Lyme. Funded initially by the national, cross-council New Dynamics of Ageing programme (Oct 2009–July 2012) and, subsequently, by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)'s Follow-on Funding Scheme (2012–13) and Cultural Value Project (2013–14), we have explored historical representations of ageing within the New Vic's well-known social documentaries; examined the role that the theatre has played – and continues to play – in the creative lives of older people living in the Potteries; devised and toured four different theatre pieces to date; developed, delivered and evaluated a pilot inter-professional training course; and established the Ages and Stages Theatre Company. In this chapter, we focus primarily on one of our two awards under the AHRC's Cultural Value Project in which we employed creative participatory methods to turn Ages and Stages’ members into a ‘company of researchers’. The aim of the award was to co-explore the cultural value that members place on their experiences of theatre-making (Bernard, Rezzano and the Ages and Stages Company, 2014). Here, we describe the design and conduct of this project; discuss how the research findings were turned into performance; and reflect on the challenges of working in these creative and collaborative ways. In doing so, we show how our approach and findings add to earlier Ages and Stages work that has already highlighted the benefits of theatre engagement for older people in terms of: enhancing identity, belonging, well-being, self-esteem and self-confidence; challenging deficit, negative and stereotypical views of ageing and late-life creativity; promoting dialogue between, and facilitating the inclusion of, both older and younger people; building supportive social networks, trust and reciprocity; extending skills, widening horizons and challenging capabilities;