Foxtrot Theatre Company

Perth-based Foxtrot is theatre company with a difference. It uses drama not to entertain, but to educate. Foxtrot specialises in high quality theatre for community audiences while providing interactive training for all types of business. Working with audiences across the UK, this charity has over 14 years’ experience delivering workshops on topics such as management skills, diversity and equality, and customer service. Scottish actor Brian Cox has added his support to Foxtrot and has been its patron for several years.

Foxtrot’s workshops use a technique known as forum theatre - a form of interactive theatre which develops communication skills and encourages discussion between professionals. The Company provides the 'theatre', and the audience - the experts in their field - provide the 'forum'. Carefully researched scenarios are presented by the company and a skilled facilitator then encourages interaction with the audience. The audience works together to find solutions to challenging, everyday issues and is able to test out these out with characters in a live environment.

Forum theatre provides a method of immediate participative learning, without the intimidation of compulsory role-play. It is renowned for its ability to tackle issues that are deemed ‘difficult to talk about’. Foxtrot has used this technique effectively to raise awareness of sensitive workplace issues such as drugs and alcohol, and bullying and harassment.

The Company offers a diversity of training packages for the public, voluntary and private sectors alongside a bespoke project service, which can produce tailor-made training packages. Foxtrot has an established reputation for its training work within the NHS, social work and palliative care, having worked with over 4,000 palliative care professionals over the course of nine UK-wide hospice tours.

Clients who have used traditional methods of training have been found forum theatre to be a refreshing alternative. Charles Lovatt, one of the Directors of Foxtrot explains: “In simple terms, this form of training gets everybody talking! Management, staff and service users can meet in a neutral and safe setting to tackle challenging workplace issues.”

“Forum theatre creates a reality that you can play with. For example - a customer receives bad service and becomes agitated. The situation escalates and the customer makes a formal complaint. Forum theatre can re-run this scenario over and over again, to try out reactions to improve the outcome. Staff can share ideas, solutions and good practice with the aim of learning from one another”.

Recently, the company has moved into the production of training DVD’s, having worked with the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) and The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Further information on how to commission a workshop can be requested by contacting Charles Lovatt on 01738 450425. See www.foxtrot-theatre.org.uk for further details on Foxtrot’s work.