This thesis investigates the role of play as a facilitator of collective action in participatory performance. At its core is the playroom, an original performance project that presents moral dilemmas through game structures, inviting participants to construct a new world together. Through a sequence of interactive tasks, physical movement, and symbolic actions, players engage in decision-making processes that reflect on values such as safety, freedom, and trust.

The research stems from a background in choreographic practice and performance studies, drawing on game design theories, relational approaches within sociology, and embodied decision-making. It addresses pressing contemporary questions about how individuals define and navigate values within the broader social context, as well as how participatory structures can facilitate collective negotiations. Central to the research is the concept of play as a political and ethical tool that makes visible the dynamics of agency. The objective is to investigate whether play, as a structured yet open-ended modality, has the potential to transform agency and inspire collective action within participatory performance.

The central hypothesis of this research is that play, when embedded in participatory frameworks, can produce temporary forms of collective becoming, allowing participants to experience moral tension both individually and socially. The research employs a combination of practice-based and practice-led methods, critical reflection, and audience response analysis. The findings suggest that play, when carefully structured around moral choice and group negotiation, becomes a fertile ground for ethical reflection and communal imagination. Participants reported heightened awareness of their own values, a sense of responsibility, and an embodied understanding of the stakes involved in decision-making. The significance of this work lies in its demonstration that participatory performance can serve as a living laboratory for testing ethical possibilities, imagining alternative futures, and revealing the politics of choice and cooperation through the transformative potential of play.