Personal and social dimensions of the theatrical activity of people with autism spectrum disorder : the case study of the ‘Authentic Artists’ theatre group

Abstract

The theatre, in which the actors are people with autism spectrum disorder (I use the term “autism spectrum disorder” as the development of a person suffering from autism is not always linked with disorders that significantly make their functioning difficult or make them suffer), has not been re-searched extensively yet. Most of the texts consider the therapeutic contexts of theatrical activity performed by people with autism spectrum disorder, or even interventions against them using the-atrical techniques. In this article, the author looks for a different perspective on the phenomenon of theatrical activities performed by people with autism spectrum disorder. The presented research aimed at showing the activities of “Authentic Artists” theatre in two dimensions: personal and so-cial. The research method used was a qualitative study of an individual case, which was the theatre group of people with autism spectrum disorder, “Authentic Artists” from Łódź. The research showed that theatrical activity can be a source of personal satisfaction and fulfillment for people with autism spectrum disorder. The theatre also turned out to be a place to establish relationships and make friends. It was shown that the activity of “Authentic Artists” also has an emancipatory potential, being a space for searching for one’s own forms of identity and creativity.