Abandoned Brothers, life story theatre with veterans and their families

Abstract

Re-Live is a UK-based organisation working in the field of Arts and Wellbeing. The company creates professional theatre productions with non-actors who tell their own, true stories onstage. This practice-based report explores the process and impact of their 3-month theatre project with military veterans who experienced conflict in the Falklands, Northern Ireland and Iraq and some of their family members. A small team of arts practitioners worked with participants on a process of remembering, sharing and devising to create a semi-scripted live performance, Abandoned Brothers, that was performed at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Wales in June 2012.

Keywords::

• theatre
• mental health
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• life review