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Forum Theatre is a Theatre of the Oppressed devising method in which a scene demonstrating an oppressing is presented by actors and then replayed with spontaneous intervention by audience members who replace the protagonist. The aim is twofold: to find ways to combat a specific oppression, and to create maximum opportunity for participants (Babbage, 2004, p.142).
Forum Theatre is a Theatre of the Oppressed devising method in which a scene demonstrating an oppressing is presented by actors and then replayed with spontaneous intervention by audience members who replace the protagonist. The aim is twofold: to find ways to combat a specific oppression, and to create maximum opportunity for participants (Babbage, 2004, p.142).
The Joker
The Joker
The Joker facilitates the presentation of the play, along with its analysis. S/he is like a narrator of the action for both the actors and the audience. S/he can intervene in the dramatic action and help propose ways of dealing with the problems or to seek explanations from characters. Through the Joker the spec-actors understand the issues raised by the characters in the performance and how the style of performance may affect the issue; it is an acting role that mediates between the actors and the non-actors.
The Spec-actor
The Spec-actor
The Spec-actor is Boal's term for the audience who are turned into actors. The specactor has a participatory role in the play. This involves both reflective and evaluative discussion of the issues at hand as well as active intervention in the actual play.
Dynamisation
Dynamisation
Dynamisation permits the actor and spec-actor to take control of political and social problems and to probe and inquire, whilst trying to invent new ways to confront oppression.
Activity
Activity
The class could read one of the case study forums in Chapter 3 from Frances Babbage's textbook (excerpt to the left) and discuss:
how the Cardboard Citizens Company create their own version of Forum Theatre
what different acting techniques they used for each scene and why
what social or political changes occurred for the spec-actors, if any
if a couple of hours of Forum Theatre is going to reverse the problems addressed
if Forum Theatre can provide hope for the problems addressed?
As a class you could experiment with creating your own Forum Theatre around issues of concern to you. It is important to note that sometimes Forum Theatre performances do not work well because it may be an ill-considered piece which fails to inspire the range and quantity of responses necessary for a truly rich debate.(Babbage, 2004, p.64).
If you have problems with finding an issue for your Forum Theatre you could undertake research from websites such as Intelligence squared that provides debate on political issues of the day, or TED which lists inspiring talks and debates by the world's leading thinkers and doers.
Research task
Research task
Contemporary theatre practice
Contemporary theatre practice
Research how Boal's approaches to acting are used by organisations around ·the world such as Cardboard Citizens or Impact Factory, as well as exploring different workshops that are held around the world as a part of actor training.
Analyse how these productions and training workshops epitomise Boal 's philosophies and theatre practice as well as discussing your own personal responses to them.
References
Babbage, F. (2003). Augusto Boal, Routledge Performance Practitioners, London: Routledge.
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