What can theatre contribute to plurilingual education?
Abstract
This chapter looks at theatre as a heterotopia, meaning a place within societies that is ‘othered’, where artists can juxtapose multiple spaces and times that would be incompatible in the real world. It describes three performances that transcend the boundaries of language and culture, exploring their poetic essence. The chapter argues that reconnecting with the sensory universe of languages can pave the way for pedagogy capable of questioning inward-looking attitudes, identity closure, fear of difference, arrogance, and the desire to dominate. Associating works of art with scientific work opens up new perspectives for plurilingual education while, however, obliging researchers, artists and educators to remain ethically vigilant: both the arts and the sciences have the power to awaken or ensnare minds and can be used as both instruments of cultural emancipation or domination. Many contemporary works within literature, cinema, and the performing arts bring together two or more languages.