MacKenzie and Livesley on stage: Group development through Psychotherapeutic Playback Theatre

This article explores the use of Psychotherapeutic Playback Theater (PPT), a drama therapeutic approach that integrates unscripted theatrical improvisation with group therapy processes. The paper draws upon clinical experience and conceptual reflection from an ongoing PPT group. Derived from Playback Theater, which emerged in the 1970s, PPT involves the spontaneous creation of theatrical responses to personal stories shared by group members. PPT is designed within a closed, ongoing group setting, where members alternate between roles as tellers, performers, and spectators. The process centers on group dynamics and the interaction of individual experiences with collective narratives, and the process of narrative reticulation. This article discusses the unique therapeutic benefits of PPT, focusing on how various theatrical forms, such as Choir, Duet, and Talking Heads, facilitate group development by engaging the psychological material of the participants. Additionally, the paper aligns these forms with MacKenzie and Livesley's model of group development, illustrating their utility in addressing specific developmental tasks at each stage. By utilizing theatrical forms as interventions, the conductor helps guide the group through phases of engagement, differentiation, individuation, intimacy, mutuality, and termination. Clinical vignettes are used to demonstrate how these forms support the group's emotional and interpersonal growth. The potential of PPT to enhance empathy, communication, and self-expression within therapeutic groups is highlighted, alongside its capacity to mirror and expand personal stories, thus fostering individual and collective transformation.