«Speil, speil på veggen der»: Målgruppearbeid i egenskapt teaterproduksjon for ungdom

This article examines how theatre performances can be created based on the lifeworld of a specific target group: fourteen-year-old pupils at secondary school. Using a target group as experts during eight workshops, students collaborate with the pupils in trying to make performances that communicate with this age group. By examining nine theatre productions, the article shows how different strategies in working with a target group can be implemented effectively in the process of making devised theatre. These strategies are: 1) Finding a focal point for the work in the overlapping field between the interests of the pupils and the students. 2) Developing texts through interviews and verbatim techniques, which allow the pupils’ voices to be heard and expressed in an authentic way in the performance. 3) Developing physical material by using techniques from Frantic Assembly and Viola Spolin’s methodology as inspiration for the workshops. The article shows how the techniques are introduced to the students before they try them out with the pupils. Together, they create physical scenes that are used in the performance. 4) By integrating interactive elements into the performance, the students try out different ways of communicating with the specific target group. The article shows how working with a target group forces students to engage in artistic and ethical reflection.