Theatre of the Oppressed: Program Description
Inwood YM/YWHA. Photo by Bob Braswell
In a Theatre of the Oppressed group, fun and learning go hand in hand. Games, exercises and improvisations naturally inspire discussion and creative problem solving. Discussions and scenes focus on the experiences of the participants. Every exercise also encourages the participants to take risks, express themselves freely, be physical, imaginative and silly, and have fun. The games, exercises and scenes are inspired by Augusto Boal and Paulo Freire’s work, namely Theatre of the Oppressed and Games for Actors and Non-Actors by Boal and Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Freire. These theatre games encourage “de-mechanization” of the body and the mind. When we are stuck in patterns of action and thought that we have been taught by society, or which we are forced into without choice, we cannot freely be ourselves, secure our human rights, follow our own dreams, and be true leaders in our communities.
After introduction to the technique, participants begin to form several Forum Theatre pieces. We approach this by telling stories of oppression that individuals in the group have faced, then choosing, refining, casting, improvising and scripting these stories. We use various rehearsal techniques/games from the Theatre of the Oppressed arsenal to rehearse these scenes, such as interrogating the characters, performing the scene in styles like opera and hip hop, coloring the whole scene with one strong emotion and then an opposite emotion, etc. We may also collect found, recycled materials to dress the actors and the set; all artistic choices are made by the actors in each scene. Finally, we rehearse and perform the forums, in which the scenes ask a question of the audience, and the audience becomes involved as “spect-actors,” taking on the role of the protagonist to offer interventions and alternatives to the problems. Thus, the entire community learns to address problems collectively and creatively.
A Theatre of the Oppressed class or performance group can take place over several hours (for an introduction to the methodology) or several months, meeting one or two times per week (to create a carefully produced Forum Theatre play, complete with set and costumes, which can then tour and perform for different audiences and at different venues). This depends entirely on your population's needs and time frame!
After introduction to the technique, participants begin to form several Forum Theatre pieces. We approach this by telling stories of oppression that individuals in the group have faced, then choosing, refining, casting, improvising and scripting these stories. We use various rehearsal techniques/games from the Theatre of the Oppressed arsenal to rehearse these scenes, such as interrogating the characters, performing the scene in styles like opera and hip hop, coloring the whole scene with one strong emotion and then an opposite emotion, etc. We may also collect found, recycled materials to dress the actors and the set; all artistic choices are made by the actors in each scene. Finally, we rehearse and perform the forums, in which the scenes ask a question of the audience, and the audience becomes involved as “spect-actors,” taking on the role of the protagonist to offer interventions and alternatives to the problems. Thus, the entire community learns to address problems collectively and creatively.
A Theatre of the Oppressed class or performance group can take place over several hours (for an introduction to the methodology) or several months, meeting one or two times per week (to create a carefully produced Forum Theatre play, complete with set and costumes, which can then tour and perform for different audiences and at different venues). This depends entirely on your population's needs and time frame!
