Countering the Silence of Adoption Trauma:Towards an Ethical and Authentic Post-Verbatim Theatre Model

Although being adopted is described as having lifelong consequences associated with trauma and loss, the lived experience of the adult “adoptee” is underrepresented/neglected in adoption research literature. Applying the Levinasian principle of ethics as a first philosophy, this study positions the adult “adoptee” both figuratively and literally, front-and-centre-stage. Using Betty Jean Lifton’s ‘cumulative adoption trauma’ theory as a research methodology this Applied Theatre as Research (ATAR) project is an attempt to counter the dominant ideological narrative of adoption by giving voice – a public, personal, political and collective voice – to the adult “adoptee”. Ultimately this study critiques the language of positivist adoption research and points to the symbolic violence of the twentieth century adoption industry/system. To assist, I have cast the philosophical voice of the player-poet, William Shakespeare, in a supporting role.