Glarin, Anna (2026) Power With the Young People - Withness in Theatre-Making An Exploration of the Potential and Possibilities of Making Theatre with Young People. Doctoral thesis, York St John University.

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Abstract

This practice-led research explores the concept of withness in theatre-making with young people, challenging the assumption that either full youth autonomy or total adult leadership offers an effective participatory model. Instead, it explores the nuanced, co-creative space that emerges between these poles. Building on a broader shift toward researching with rather than on young people—who are increasingly recognised as “experts in their own lives” (Coyne and Carter, 2018: 2)—this study examines how co-creation manifests in practice. Although co-creation implies shared authorship, adults often disavow their artistic influence, presenting young people as sole creators. This research argues that such detachment masks the relational, interdependent nature of genuinely co-creative work.

Existing youth participation models tend to be linear and hierarchical, primarily addressing levels of young people’s involvement in decision-making. I contend that practice with adults—characterised by iterative action, critical reflection, and ongoing adaptation—requires distinct consideration. Keeping these domains separate clarifies that withness arises specifically from co-creative practice rather than from conventional participation frameworks.

A Practice as Research methodology, informed by Tripp’s (2012) Critical Incident Analysis, enabled systematic reflection on moments of tension, disruption, and negotiation within my theatre-making practice. These critical incidents revealed the fluctuating power relations shaping withness, offering insight into the complexities and constraints of adopting a witness-oriented approach.
From this process, I propose the Place of Optimum Withness: a reflective framework that captures the “constantly moving and dynamic” (Cahill and Dadvand, 2018) nature of “messy” (Hughes et al., 2011) co-creative theatre-making practice.

It identifies six interrelated dimensions—Power, Relationships, Frame, Reciprocity, Dialogue, and Mess—that support intentional, co-creative engagement between young people and adult practitioners in a theatre-making context.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Status:	Published
Subjects:	N Fine Arts > NX Arts in general > NX456.5.P38 Performance Art
School/Department:	School of the Arts
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/15389

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