40 years of research

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring the Geese Theatre Company archives, pulling together more than 20 pieces of independent research and evaluation examining our work.

The studies span nearly four decades and explore work in prisons, homelessness services, addiction recovery settings and across the wider social welfare sector. They vary in focus: some examine individual projects, others explore particular aspects of the Geese methodology, while some investigate professional roles such as the facilitator or applied theatre director. Together they include published papers, doctoral research, independent evaluations and practice-based case studies.

Some focus on outcomes and impact. Others delve into particular aspects of the methodology, including practitioner training, facilitation skills and the role of the applied theatre director. Viewed collectively, they provide a fascinating window into how the work has been understood, questioned and analysed over time.

We’ve now compiled the full list, together with links to publicly available documents, in an updated Geese Research Resources collection

Alongside the research archive, you’ll also find a reading list of books, book chapters and other publications written by Geese practitioners or exploring the company’s work and methodology.

As with any organisation approaching its 40th year, some of the research is now quite old and doesn’t necessarily reflect current practice. Nevertheless, there is something fascinating about looking across the literature as a whole. You can see both the consistency and the evolution of the methodology over time: recurring themes around identity, belonging, communication, agency, hope and connection, alongside changes in language, context and understanding.

Bringing this material together has also highlighted how many opportunities there still are for further research. While Geese has been the subject of considerable study over the years, there remain many aspects of the work that would benefit from deeper exploration.

If you’re a researcher, doctoral student or academic with an interest in applied theatre, criminal justice, recovery, or social welfare, we’d be interested to hear from you. We are always open to conversations about potential research partnerships and would welcome enquiries from anyone keen to explore a particular aspect of our practice.