DEFINING MOMENTS: Leadership and Learning Disability 
                                          Theatres 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                   A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the 
                                          degree of 
                                    Doctor of Philosophy 
                                 in the Faculty of Humanities 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                            2017 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                      SUSAN J CAUDLE 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                        SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 
                                               
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
            
            
           Contents  
            
           Abstract…………………… .................................................................................................... 5 
           Declaration……………… .................................................................................................... 6 
           Copyright Statement ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 
           Introduction…………………… .............................................................................................. 7 
            The Provocation ................................................................................................................... 7 
            Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................................. 9 
            DIY Theatre Company .......................................................................................................... 9 
            DIY’s Friday Group.............................................................................................................. 14 
            The Thesis: Overview and Structure .................................................................................. 17 
           Chapter One: Setting the Scene .................................................................................... 19 
            Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 19 
            An Introduction to Learning Disability Theatres ................................................................ 20 
             The Origins of Learning Disability Theatres ................................................................... 22 
             Scoping the Sector ......................................................................................................... 26 
             Therapy and Advocacy ................................................................................................... 29 
             Beyond Binaries ............................................................................................................. 32 
            Learning Disability Theatres, Knowledge and Power ......................................................... 37 
             The Norm and the Individual Case ................................................................................. 39 
            Leadership and Learning Disability Theatres ..................................................................... 42 
            Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 48 
           Chapter Two: Methodology in-the-Making ................................................................... 50 
            Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 50 
            Research as a Political Activity ........................................................................................... 55 
            Binocular Vision: Phenomenological Descriptions and Reflective Practice ............................ 60 
             The Descriptive Eye ........................................................................................................ 61 
             The Strategic Eye ............................................................................................................ 65 
            Making Practice Count ....................................................................................................... 68 
             Photo Elicitation ............................................................................................................. 69 
             Image Theatre ................................................................................................................ 70 
             Comic Life and PowerPoint ............................................................................................ 73 
             The Live Workshop Event............................................................................................... 74 
            Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 75 
                              2 
            
            
           Chapter Three: Leadership in-the-Making ..................................................................... 77 
            Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 77 
            A National Perspective ....................................................................................................... 78 
            Performativity and the Shared Stage ................................................................................. 84 
            Relationality and Soft Self-Other Differentiation .............................................................. 92 
            Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 97 
           Chapter Four: In the Moment ....................................................................................... 99 
            Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 99 
            Images of Leadership ....................................................................................................... 103 
            Moments of Practice ........................................................................................................ 108 
             Challenges of Sharing Leadership ................................................................................ 109 
             Workshops-in-the-Making ........................................................................................... 113 
             Stretching Leadership across Organisations ................................................................ 121 
             Stretching Leadership Across Young People ................................................................ 129 
             Relinquishing Control ................................................................................................... 133 
           Conclusion………………………. ......................................................................................... 142 
           Bibliography……………. ................................................................................................ 151 
           List of Appendices and Locations ................................................................................ 159 
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
           Word Count: 49 765 
            
            
                              3 
            
                           
                          List of Images 
                          Image A:               DIY – Who’s Who ............................................................................... 11 
                          Image A:               DIY – Who’s Who [continued] ............................................................ 12 
                          Image B:               DIY – The Friday Group ...................................................................... 15 
                          Images C and D:        Comic Life – Example 1 and 2 ............................................................ 73 
                          Image E:               PowerPoint – Example ....................................................................... 74 
                          Images F and G:        Comic Life – What Makes a Good Leader ........................................ 104 
                          Images H and I:        Comic Life – Leadership at DIY is…Teamwork .................................. 105 
                          Images J and K:        Comic Life – Leadership at DIY is…Supporting Each Other .............. 106 
                          Images L and M:        Comic Life – Leadership is…Being Part of the Organisation ............ 106 
                           
                          List of Appendices and Locations 
                          Appendix A:              Film: David Remembers  
                                                   http://www.diytheatre.org.uk/picking-up-the-threads/ 
                          Appendix B:              Film: The Sycamore Project  
                                                   http://www.diytheatre.org.uk/sycamore-project/ 
                          Appendix C:              Video Tweet: Following the Thread Tour  https://vimeo.com/165711248 
                          Appendix D:              Video Tweet: Delamere School, Tweet for FTT’  
                                                   https://vimeo.com/165711455 
                                                    
                          Appendix E:              Print Publication: DIY Three Year Plan (2016-2018)  Pendrive 
                          Appendix F:              DIY Education Projects Timeline (2006–2016) Pendrive 
                          Appendix G:              Print Publication: Leading it Our Way. Pendrive 
                          Appendix H:              Powerpoint : A Good Leader is… Pendrive 
                          Appendix I:              Powerpoint Leadership at DIY is …  Pendrive 
                          Appendix J:              Comic Life:  Leaders & Followers  Pendrive 
                          Appendix K:              Comic Life; What Makes a Good Leader? Pendrive 
                          Appendix L:              Film: Leading the Way  https://vimeo.com/167783603 
                          Appendix M:              Film: Document of the live drama event Pendrive 
                          Appendix N:              DIY Background Sheet Pendrive 
                          Appendix O:              Aspire Background Sheet Pendrive 
                                                                           4