Beyond the Entertainment Purposes of Theatre: Playback Theatre and Its Implications in a Social Context

This literature review explores a unique type of theatre, Playback Theatre. It delves into the discovery of the distinct essence and characteristics of Playback Theatre, emphasizing its purposes beyond entertainment and its provision of therapeutic benefits to audiences’ personal wellbeing. The review places Playback Theatre in a social context, discussing its potential implication as a valuable tool for community building in society, as exemplified by the establishment of cross-cultural communities and the empowerment of the marginalized community. To present Playback Theatre comprehensively, the review utilizes a large amount of research by scholars in the field of theatre or Playback Theatre. Through the exploration of Playback Theatre, its potential to provide huge therapeutic and mental benefits is clearly revealed. This literature review strongly encourages and advocates for the use of Playback Theatre in society, hopeful that it can continue to heal those who need it. More research about the further implications of Playback Theatre is required in the future.