Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg has recently tried to change the world. Her action, launched with just one person, has turned into a protest of children against the adults’ politics with a focus on climate and environment, on the future. And suddenly an unseen power arose in front of us, the adults, – all that looked very strange and unexpected. What is this? Children who think about adult problems? After all, they are meant to think about school and not to skip it for taking part in the rallies! They are too small yet to dictate to adults, they are too small to think about the important things. But these protests in France, Great Britain, the USA, Bangladesh, Iran, India and Australia make us think that children really aren’t indifferent to the world of the future and to our planet. It may seem that all this has got nothing to do with theatre, but in fact it’s directly related to our audience. We are talking about theatre for young spectators and we want the spectators to see theatre as a way of live communication, so that they believe theatre is able to speak with them on hot topics in the language of empathy. Through theatre they must gain confidence that they can change the world for the better.
In theatre one can talk not only about the fact that good triumphs over evil through fairy tale and myth, but also about bullying at school, and about refugees, and about environmental problems. New themes will arise in the theatre for the young, because it is the young audience who is demanding of honesty and openness, and who has a special ear to the sincerity of theatre art. But theatre can’t stand didacticism and boredom. Similarly, the young spectator, who comes to the theatre as an entertainment place, but who is able to inculcate humanity, motivation for life changes and awareness of the importance of his opinion, cannot stand it either. Remember this invisible power that looks at you from the auditorium. They may protest and ask hard questions, but they will look for answers through communication with live art and they will change the world. Very soon. Faster than we can imagine.
