Narrative, drama and the compound stimulus

This article is divided into six sections. It highlights the centrality of story to human existence, the key to drama’s effectiveness as a change agent, and then explores the implications for young people and for the drama they create. Section three describes the theory that underpins the use of a “compound stimulus”, a way of drawing participants into the fictional world and the exploration of specific stories. It also outlines the ways in which the compound stimulus should be used and provides case studies of its use. Finally, section six reflects on applications of the compound stimulus.