Noting that theatre for young people in Europe is much more aggressive in seeking to influence the attitudes and ideas of audiences than that of the United States, this paper examines the political and social trends occurring in children's theatre in four European countries. Following an introduction to this trend toward "educational theatre," the paper discusses the theatre companies, the range of plays performed, and the social issues portrayed in England, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland. The paper concludes that these political/social trends in theatre for children tend to be stronger in countries where there is political unrest, such as Portugal and Spain. (HTH)