CIES Onlus has developed a specific form of awareness-raising and involvement, with a strong impact on the audience: it consists of interactive theatre performances based on life-size set design and the role-play methodology. These performances revolve around topics such as migration, interculturalism, fair trade, and environmental rights.
In order to engage the audience at a deeper level, CIES has also created “sensory” theatre experiences, some of which are based on Theatre Forum and Theatre of the Oppressed methods and require active participation by the audience.
CIES has carried out theatre workshops since 2012 in the Youth Centre and Art School MaTeMù. The workshop experience has brought about the creation of an actual theatre company, led by Gabriele Linari, which has staged several shows in Rome and other European cities. Art activities, such as music, theatre, dance, have provided a voice to people who did not know Italian well or were trapped in past trauma due to a challenging social background or suffering during the long migration journey, or were simply too shy or lacking motivation.
After the MaTeMù Theatre Company was created, the theatre workshop in the Research Centre has changed and is now led by Valentina di Odoardo and Paolo Crisi. The workshop has already allowed to stage several performances.