Democracy-themed performances in classical Myanmar style

Historically, travelling zat pwe artists were a primary conduit of communication between politicians and people, able to reach the most remote rural areas; and they have remained vital and effective to this day. Inwa School of Performing Arts explored the effect of using traditional Myanmar performances, including zat pwe, to organically stimulate dialogue between artists, people, and politicians on themes related to deeper and more inclusive democracy. The project included commissioning plays, rehearsing these amongst Inwa’s student base, and working with social research organisation Yone Kyi Yar to analyse the impact of the performances on people’s understanding about and relationship with ideas of democracy and inclusion.