Researchers from Stockholm University put sustainable solutions in the spotlight at Dramaten

The EU-project “STAGES – Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift” has brought together a number of theatres in Europe in order to focus on making the performing arts more sustainable through common knowledge-building. 
It entails transdisciplinary collaboration where theatres and institutions work with universities to learn from each other. Dramaten collaborates with Stockholm University to carry out activities based on the theatre's needs for increased sustainability, including internal workshops and public openlabs on three different themes. One theme includes a residency where a performance is created based on the new knowledge.

“The two openlabs that Dramaten is organising with Stockholm University discuss chemical hazards in masks and wigs, and the circular nature of plastic as a material - in the context of stage, technology and workshops," says Natasja Börjeson, researcher in regulatory toxicology and postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University.

In practical terms, the collaboration means mutual learning. For example, Dramaten's mask department gains increased knowledge about how to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals, while the researchers gain insight into the specific knowledge needed by maskers and actors. 

“In addition, we learn how our knowledge can be applied practically in the theatre. Dramaten’s sustainability work is thus based on a scientific foundation and as researchers we get an insight into how the issues we are studying are dealt with in practice," says Natasja Börjeson.

PFAS can hide behind collective name

Wigs are washed with gasoline and acetone, plastic is a common material and many makeup products may contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Frida Ottosson and Thea Holmberg work with mask and design at Dramaten and they think it’s a challenge to navigate the labyrinth of ingredients and product variations to be found on the market.
“Quite often, ingredients are exchanged and collective names occur in lists of contents. This makes choosing sustainable products very difficult and time-consuming" says Frida Ottosson.
“Many of us at the theatre are very engaged in the environment, but it’s hard to find reliable knowledge on your own. Those of us who work with masks and wigs have our play to consider and we are responsible for choosing the right makeup which suits the play as well as the actors” says Thea Holmberg.

She continues: 
“For example, it’s more difficult to use foundations without silicones because they dry faster and tend to become patchy if we work for a long time on a face. Meanwhile, we don’t know exactly how these silicone products are being produced and how they affect the skin.”

Natasja Börjeson emphasizes the importance of building a solid base of knowledge to make the theatre better at making well-informed decisions in the future. 

“Cosmetics and certain chemical products are the work tools in the mask and wig department, so it’s important to have good alternatives at your disposal. Environmental science is about solving complicated problems, and from a collaboration perspective it is essential that research benefits society.”

STAGES FORUM with workshops, openlabs and seminars will be arranged at Dramaten on 7-8 October.

Read more about it here. 

Facts STAGES 

STAGES (Stages Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift) is a European collaboration project where participating theatres carry out a number of development projects in collaboration with researchers, universities and the public in order to work more sustainably.

Since 2018, there is a collaboration agreement between Dramaten and Stockholm University. Research, education and innovation from Stockholm University is used to develop the activities at Dramaten in alignment with the government’s guidelines.