The task of Theatre in Education (TIE) performers is examined in relation to what I have witnessed in TIE programmes in South Africa, found in reports written by students and ideas proposed by theatre theorists. The four contextual frames, which John O'Toole maintains are at work in TIE (namely neighbourhood, venue, audience availability and the world of the play), provide a workable configuration through which to examine the effects of each of these on performance. The interaction between the performers, the performance site and the audience in TIE promises the possibility of a more flexible approach to theatre. Creative opportunities arise that should be utilized, not only in TIE, by a variety of theatre-makers in South Africa.