Empathy and connection are critical aspects of theatre and importance, and a desire to find understanding and community led me to create and research devised theatre. However, devising requires extraordinary amounts of empathy since practitioners are more vulnerable within a devising process as they are likely to be offering up their own life experiences and stories as material. Whereas a playscript, in a more traditional theatre process, provides a clear dramaturgical structure and a mediator between character and performer. Therefore, emotion and empathy need to be embraced within a devising process and not suppressed. While these ideas are important for any creative process, the uncertainty and intangible nature of devising means that they are even more crucial in a collaborative process.
This paper will explore a method for devising that I first investigated in my doctoral research: Flemmer, Dekker, and Doutrich’s theory of Empathetic Partnership for Primary Care Practice, in a theatrical devising context. Empathetic Partnership builds on “concepts of New Zealand nursing’s cultural safety” and creates a framework of six key elements, all of which are applicable in a devising room (Flemmer et al 545). I will outline the theory, explore how it can be applied in a devising context, and discuss its value for teaching devising in tertiary education, using a 300-level course from the University of the Sunshine Coast as a case study. By embedding this theory into devising methods, I believe we can challenge oppressive rehearsal practices and create safer rehearsal rooms with horizontal leadership and emotionally ethical and sustainable processes.