In this episode I muse with Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah who is a theatre practitioner, researcher, and the current head of the performing arts department at the Centre for National Culture, Ashanti Region, Ghana, West Africa. 

We discuss tourism as an incentive for creating museum theatre, working with a range of different stakeholders (including royalty) and process of interpreting important cultural artefacts such as a linguist staff.

This interview is particularly exciting because historically museum theatre doesn’t have a huge presence in West Africa, but Emmanuel is one of the key people working towards developing a local museum theatre movement to interpret cultural collections at historic sites in Ghana.

Interesting links relating to the topics discussed in the episode;

Museum Theatre Concept new hope for heritage sites in Ghana

Retelling Ghanaian stories through Museum Theatre is the way to go

Prempeh II Jubilee MuseumInternational Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe)

In this episode I muse with Lyn Beasley, who has been a key figure in educational and public programming at both the National Museum of Victoria (now called the Melbourne Museum), and the National Museum of Australia for over forty years. We discuss early inspirations, championing and producing shows, museum education, and the importance of institutional knowledge when developing museum theatre. She also tells us about what she learned from past works, and the vital importance of getting museum security guards on side if you are thinking about putting on a show.

Interesting links relating to the topics of the epsode;

Come Alive Festival of Museum Theatre promotional video

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe)

National Museum of Australia

Melbourne Museum

In this episode host Jo Clyne muses with the Elizabeth Pickard about her work founding the Teens Make History museum theatre program at the Missouri Historical Society. In this extraordinary initiative, high school students are employed as paid apprentices at the museum to devise and perform shows relating to local histories. We consider the power of students recreating local events such as the civil rights sit-ins at local diners during the 1940s, and unexpected outcomes such as the improvement of school results in History amongst student participants. We also discuss the time that the program received an award from former First Lady Michelle Obama, and the transformative nature of museum theatre.

Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Missouri Historical Society

About Teens Make History

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe)

In this episode host Jo Clyne muses with the Patrick Helean from Questacon, Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre, on how the post-covid era has brought a new energy and momentum to finding ways to collaborate with international colleagues in the museum theatre industry. Patrick and I discuss past, present and exciting future international relationship in museum theatre between Australia and Asia.  He also comes up with a highly satisfactory theory in response to my question of why ‘science communicator’ is a job title at cultural institutions, while ‘history communicator’ is not.  

Patrick shares new approaches to representing scientific discoveries by Australia’s First Peoples, introduces us to the underwhelming sport of ‘snail ball’, and tries to get me to interview his archive glove hand puppet.

Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Questacon

Osaka Science Museum

Snail Ball Underwhelming Science

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe)

In episode 8, host Jo Clyne muses with founder of Past Pleasures Mark Wallis about the ins and outs of historical costumed interpretation. We discuss how interpretation has evolved over time, the excitement of introducing characters who challenge the dominant narrative, the difference between seated and roving performance at heritage sites, and the nuances of historical costuming.

Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Past Pleasures

Hampton Court Palace

Tower of London

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe) 

In episode 7, host Jo Clyne muses with archaeologist Thit Birk Peterson about her role as curator of the Middelaldercentret Medieval living history museum near Copenhagen. Thit tells us about her Covid lockdown initiative for historical costumed culture walks in Denmark and how Covid had a lasting impact on the use of first-person interpretation techniques at the Middlealdercentret. Jo and Thit also spend some time laughing about 'interpretation on demand' initiatives and the best way to handle getting trapped in an indoor maze while holidaying in Japan.

Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Middlealdercentret

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe) 

In episode 6, host Jo Clyne muses with performer/writer/composer Michael Mills from Heaps Good Productions on the process of developing his signature character, singing palaeontologist Professor Flint.  We discuss the route to starting your own museum theatre company, working with youth performers, and the many opportunities that come with creating a utilitarian character who can go back in time to sing with Mary Anning, host museum birthday parties, inspire book week costumes, and who may even receive fan mail…

Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Heaps Good Productions

Dinosaur University

Professor Flint on Spotify

South Australian Museum

Adelaide Botanical Gardens

South Australian Maritime Museum

Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Fringe Festival

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe) 

In episode 5, host Jo Clyne muses with Angela Pfenninger about the museum theatre scene in Germany.  We discuss being a freelance museum theatre practitioner, seeking inspiration abroad, which eras are most popular for interpretation in Germany, and the absence of performances relating to World War II.

 Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Bremer Geschichtenhaus (Germany)

Museum Theater Events (Germany)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe) 

In episode 4, host Jo Clyne muses with performer Elizabeth Keaney from Washington DC about the use of participatory theatre when developing characters for cultural institutions. We discuss the apprenticeship that Elizabeth undertook to play Martha Washington at Mount Vernon, and the challenges of playing a character who does not share your moral ideologies.

 Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Colonial Williamsburg

George Washington’s Mount Vernon

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe) 

In episode 3, host Jo Clyne muses with Patrick Watt, one of the founders of the International Museum Theatre Alliance Asia Pacific, about some of his past projects across a range of large and small cultural institutions. We discuss the inspiration for projects, past collaborations, and why Zoom automatically assumes that a dog howling in time to harmonica playing is an unwanted audio interruption.

Some of the institutions and organisations mentioned in this episode;

Museums Victoria

Sovereign Hill

The Australian Sports Museum

Burke Museum, Beechworth

Yarra Ranges Regional Museum

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Asia Pacific)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Americas)

International Museum Theatre Alliance (Europe)