Chapter 2: Conceptualising Science-Theatre

In the introductory chapter, we sought to delimit the scope of this book, which addresses science-theatre from the perspective of science communication. In this chapter, we explore the ways in which what we choose to call science-theatre has been conceptualised, both within and outside the science communication sphere with a view to defining our object of study. It is fair to say that the boom in theatre practices that dialogue with science in various ways has not gone unnoticed by academia. Different research fields have shown increasing interest in the interactions between these two areas, through the prolific publication of books, magazines and articles on the topic; the organisation of events on the subject¹; and the creation of different spaces and forums to discuss it in the last two decades. Among these knowledge domains, theatre and performance studies perspectives dominate research on the topic. Internationally, the book Science on Stage, by Kirsten Shepherd-Barr (2006) has become a landmark text. However, since its publication over 15 years ago, the field has expanded and diversified, bringing in new theoretical perspectives, and transforming science-theatre into a potent interdisciplinary phenomenon. This interdisciplinarity is evident in recent works led by authors from the theatrical field (Parry, 2020; Shepherd-Barr, 2020).