Time of implementation: / January 2009-October 2010
Short description / “You’d better use your feet” is a stage play designed to raise the awareness of the general public on the environmental and social consequences of a motorized mobility. It seeks to influence citizens to choose non-motorized and collective transport means for commuting purposes.
The play has been staged in different localities and schools around Navarre to raise the awareness of adult and teen audiences, mainly through humour and the interaction between the performers and the audience. It is a parody of a lecture given by a presumed expert in sustainable mobility whose behaviour is far from being environmentally responsible and who ultimately learns how to behave accordingly thanks to his humble yet environmentally responsible personal assistant.
Lessons learned /
- It is necessary to use recreational and original resources to efficiently communicate environmental issues. This play has been efficient because it was entertaining whilst sending out messages to the audience.
- Staging the play outdoors may be more complex, but if is done in a crowded area, participation increases.
- A humorous play is an attractive cultural offer that favours environmental awareness in an audience initially not interested in the issue.
- Participation when staged indoors has not always been as massive as expected, so in future occasions the activity shall require further communication efforts or charging a symbolic entrance price (people tend to fail to appreciate activities which are offered free of charge).
- Producing a resource like this one requires a substantial budget, but it is worth the expense, provided the contents are attractive and not ephemeral. The resource may be used again and again even after all the funds have been used – it is the bodies interested in using the resource that bear the cost of contracting the theatre company.
Methodology of evaluation: /
- The play has not been evaluated among the audience apart from the informal conversations after performances and the observation of their behave during the performance. From this perceptive methodology it was demonstrated that the play has been efficient.
Quantitative data
e.g.
- Number of participants
- Degree of satisfaction with the offer
- Number of people that generally realised the campaign
- Percentage of participants stating that activities/actions influence their choice of transport
- Increased interest in sustainable transport modes in general /
- 9 performance in 9 different localities
- 720 people has enjoyed the play
- People has enjoyed the play and has commented afterwards that was very funny and interesting in contents
- It has not been possible to ask the audience about possible influence of the play in their choice of transport or interest on sustainable modes of transport improvements weeks after, because in any case telephone calls were done and school children have not been of our interest to be ask in this case.
Give indicators / basis figures on costs / This educational and recreational activity requires the following:
- 100 hours to develop the idea, prepare the contents and discussing the script with the theatre company.
- Subcontracting of a theatre company to create and stage the play (two performers, characterization and a stage). In Navarre the costs of the play have been EUR 6,000 for producing the play and EUR 1,000 for each staging of the play.
- 8 hours to design and elaborate the posters. The materials are distributed by the local body.
- 15 hours per month to arrange the performance with the local or sectoral body and the theatre company.
- The play may be staged indoors or outdoors. If indoors, the venue needs to be suitable, have good acoustics and a small stage. In Navarre the play has been offered free of charge to local bodies, provided they supply the venue and necessary means.
Performances of the play “You’d better use your feet” in Pamplona at main square in historical centre of the city