‘Truth or Lie’ - simple responses to a complex world

Αθήνα, 22/03/2025, εργαστήριο για εκπαιδευτικούς, Lutz Pickardt

‘Truth or Lie’ - simple responses to a complex world

Lutz Pickardt, director, theatre pedagogue, BuT, Germany
 

WORKSHOP

Athens International Conference “Theatre/Drama & Inclusive Education”

21, 22, 23 March 2025
Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network (TENe-Gr)

Language: English

Limited number of participants

Short description

In a world increasingly shaped by social media and digital information flows, disinformation, misinformation, false information and conspiracy theories are playing an ever greater role. They influence not only our view of the world, but also our living together, our confidence in the media, politics and society.

Misinformation and conspiracy theories can be found in the media (especially in the yellow press), in all political, particularly populist and extremist camps from left to right, and also in religious fundamentalism. In most cases, they deliberately stir up feelings such as fear, anger or outrage in order to manipulate people and draw them to the ‘right’ side.

This workshop aims to explore and debunk the mechanisms and dynamics of various forms of disinformation. Video examples followed by discussion and analysis help to understand and differentiate the described phenomena.

Theatre pedagogical methods such as role play, improvisation and scenic representations create not only a cognitive but also an emotional understanding of the effects and impact of disinformation and conspiracy theories. In a playful and enjoyable way, the workshop participants learn how to develop their own conspiracy theories. Dealing with these often abstruse stories in a humorous way, developing and acting them out and laughing at them creates the necessary distance and helps to unmask them in real life and thus take the wind out of their sails.

The workshop ‘Truth or Lie’ is an excerpt from the Erasmus project #theatre.makes.politics, in which six partners from five countries have developed a practical handbook for dance, media and theatre educators to counter anti-democratic forces in Europe. The four-day workshops, each lasting five hours per day, are aimed at young people aged 15-20 from all educational and cultural backgrounds.

Note: Participants are requested to wear comfortable clothes and to be available to step into roles The workshop includes exercises with possible physical contact.

Lutz Pickardt lives in Kassel, Germany. He is a director, theatre pedagogue BuT®, educational scientist, theatre therapist (HIGW)® and Roy Hart Centre Voice Teacher® (CAIRH), and has been created theatre, dance and video projects in a transcultural and international context in Germany and Europe for more than 30 years. He is an expert in experimental voice work, physical theatre and mask theatre. Since 2006, he has been the artistic director of the civic theatre company “Theater Dionysos” at Theatre Marl, 2015-2019 conception and direction of the further education series “Transcultural Theatre Work” in Berlin. Teaching assignments in theatre pedagogy and voice work in Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Zurich, Munich etc.; trainer and coach in university didactics at the universities of Emden and Hildesheim; development and moderation of expert conferences; initiator and director of the Erasmus+ project #theatre.makes.politics.From 2016-2023 first chairman of the German Association for Theatre Pedagogy (BuT).