Innovative performance explores migration, belonging and the future of participatory theatre

An innovative performance created by East 15 Acting School academic Dr Christina Kapadocha has brought together theatre, technology and embodied practice to mark World Refugee Day while exploring a new form of participatory performance.

Mapping Journeys – Grounding Roots was created and performed by Dr Kapadocha as part of her ongoing artistic research into migration, belonging and audience participation. The performance introduced an original methodology combining somatic practices, embodied dramaturgy and bespoke interactive technology to create a shared experience centred on care, listening and human connection.

The event took place at The Hellenic Centre in London as part of Refugee Week 2026. Produced in partnership with The Hellenic Centre and presented in collaboration with Counterpoints Arts, the performance invited audiences into an immersive journey that interwove Dr Kapadocha’s own migration story with recorded responses from artist-participants from a range of migration backgrounds, developed through a series of one-to-one creative sessions. The experience concluded with creative reflection and discussion, encouraging audiences to explore ideas of identity, home and belonging together.

Dr Christina Kapadocha said: "I realise that audience engagement has been an interest of mine since my early years as an actress-creator back in 2007. It is exciting to observe that nearly two decades in theatre craft, ongoing development of embodied skills and a decade after my PhD award, I have turned this interest into a new performance form through artistic research.

"My priority has been to genuinely connect with every single audience member, holding a space for mutual listening and togetherness, to investigate and disseminate the underlying steps and skills that are required for such connection. It is also particularly exciting to integrate technology within this collective embodied experience. I noticed that technology actually became invisible and human connection remained central."

The performance formed the third phase of Dr Kapadocha's wider artistic research project; Mapping Journeys, Grounding Roots, Centring Identities: Creative engagements with diaspora, migration, and belonging following a series of one-to-one sessions with artist-participants and two public participatory workshops at The Hellenic Centre. It also served as a live research environment, testing an original participatory performance methodology that blends embodied performance, caring facilitation and haptic sound technology. While developed through migration stories, the approach is designed to be adapted to a wide range of themes, creating inclusive spaces where participants can reflect, connect and engage with challenging subjects through shared experience.

Audience members praised the performance as "a wholesome space for reflection and togetherness", "a beautiful, intimate and collective experience" and "something I've never experienced before", highlighting the emotional impact of the work and its innovative approach to participation.

The research builds on Dr Kapadocha's Somatic Acting Process (SAP®), an artistic-research methodology she developed through her Practice-as-Research PhD and has continued to refine over the past decade. SAP® connects actor training, performance-making, voice, embodiment and community engagement, providing a framework for both creative practice and research.

For students at East 15 Acting School, having academics such as Dr Kapadocha actively developing new performance methodologies means they learn alongside practitioners who are expanding the boundaries of contemporary theatre. Through teaching informed by internationally recognised research and professional practice, students gain first-hand experience of innovative approaches that are shaping the future of performance.