by Beverley Davies

Created on: May 13, 2007

A Pragmatic View from the Mainstream:

'Propaganda' is an emotive word, conjuring up images of fascistic regimes indoctrinating armies of malleable agents to do their dirty work. But in a free and stable country, the distinctions between propaganda, public education, and simply being an opinionated individual with a talent for communication, are blurred.

1. State Propaganda

From my mainstream, tax-payer's perspective, I can't think of a single government message hitting me via theatre. In peacetime, it is unconstitutional for them to propagandise. In 20th century national emergencies, the cross-party governments sanctioned and used propaganda in entertainments, quite overtly (eg. Second World War films). Rather, what I do see plenty of is the 'benign propaganda' allied to public health education.

2. Public education
Today there is a thin line dividing an acting company that works in schools touring a play or workshop that teaches the young an uncontroversial lesson (bullying is bad/ beware teenage pregnancy, etc), and a multi-media government ad campaign that has the same objectives. In the largest of these campaigns, aimed at at the young, drama may be integral - planned and used purposefully in the 'communications mix' alongside TV and cinema ads, e-messaging, posters, etc. Each single-issue public health campaign has a significant budget from the public purse. An individual theatre company may or may not succeed in getting a portion of that budget to work with, depending on all sorts of factors. If they are clever and have their finger on the pulse, some actors can at least get some work out of the government, assuming they agree with the official line. When it comes to public funding, the 'Fascist Party Players' need not apply. I am not aware of drama being used by the Department of Health for adult indoctrination (eg. in their anti-smoking campaign).

Apart from single-issue work with children and other 'disenfranchised communities', small theatre companies strive continuously, within and outside of the school system, to instill a general appreciation of, and enthusiasm for, theatre. Rather than changing society, this exposure to art is part of maintaining the status quo. Theatre appreciation has long been seen as part of a child's cultural education. It is seen as part of the socialisation process, of educating the young, and including the excluded. If it succeeds in helping individuals to be more fulfilled and creative, its purpose is to produce better citizens,

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