INTERACTIVE THEATER AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Abstract

To avoid the mistakes of the past and to make the public communication of science more effective in terms of anchoring a scientific mentality in society, it is necessary to believe in the possibility of a co-construction of knowledge together with citizens. The relationship between science and society is realized today in a communicative action that is more egalitarian than the one underlying the concept of scientific dissemination, thanks to a new tool, the active involvement and direct relationship between scientists and citizens, for a democratic education of both. A possible form of constructive dialogue between scientists and citizens is theater, which for a long time has lent itself to the involvement of the public and performances in which spectators are called to think, participate, and make decisions, also becoming an opportunity for personal and social change. We experienced an interactive performance during European Researchers' Night 2022 in Bologna, where viewers were called upon to make decisions, physically intervening and taking responsibility for determining the course of the narrative. Through the final interviews we learned that having an active role in the theatrical performance has helped to increase attention, to solicit reflexivity and in general to raise awareness of the subject matter.