Based in Totnes, Devon, Playback Theatre South West is directed by Amanda Brown and Alison Fairlove, who are both Playback Theatre Trainers accredited by the Centre for Playback Theatre, New York. Amanda has a background in choreography and education. Alison has a background in counselling and theatre in education. Since 2001 they have established three performance companies: Mirror Mirror, Tarte Noire and a new local community company in Totnes, Devon. They offer training locally, nationally for the UK School of Playback Theatre and internationally.
Alison and Amanda run training in Playback Theatre methods and technique for established actors and community members with little or no experience of theatre work, and for people with special needs such as people with learning disabilities. Mirror Mirror is a well established group of 5 performers who work in a variety of diverse settings. Tarte Noire is a group of 13 women performers who, since January 2007, have been meeting weekly to train and rehearse and who have performed in a range of community settings including conferences, workshops, theatre events and community festivals.
Playback Theatre South West has a track record of effective work with a range of organisations including work with mental health and well-being, Refugee community members, BAME (black Asian minority ethnic) community members, carers and young carers, HIV/AIDS, women who have experienced domestic violence, citizenship, suicide, children in care and many others.
