ABOUT THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED

(by Mady Shutzman)

AUGUSTO BOAL, Brazilian theatre director and social activist, is the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed (TO)-- a body of aesthetic techniques based in liberatory philosophy and dedicated to the notions of dialogue, cooperative education, and the transformative potential of theatre. Influenced by Paolo Friere’s philosophy of education (Pedagogy of the Oppressed 1970), Boal’s vision is embodied in dramatic techniques that activate passive spectators to become spect-actors; engaged participants rehearsing strategies for personal and social change. Although founded in theatrical exploration, the techniques are not limited to the stage; educators, political activists, therapists, and social workers devoted to critical thought and action have adapted the work to address issues ranging from racism to loneliness. Having won acclaim for its social relevance and adaptability, the work is currently flourishing on six continents with centers of TO in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, NYC, and Omaha, as well as in Los Angeles.

While TO is an ever shifting and expanding body of work, it can be understood as comprising of five inter-related approaches: Forum theatre, Image theatre, Invisible theatre, Rainbow of Desire techniques, and Legislative theatre.

In Forum theatre, spect-actors intervene in scenes in which a protagonist cannot overcome an oppression. Spect-actors literally replace the protagonist and offer interventions that could lead to a dismantling, or better understanding, of the oppression.

In Image theatre participants use their bodies and the bodies of others to create sculptures of their experiences- in essence, wordless tableaux. These images are then dynamized, or infused with action propelled by desire, allowing physicalization, movement and imagery to inform our understanding of power relationships and the emotions they instigate.

Invisible Theatre is enacted in public, non-theatrical space, capturing the attention of people who do now know they are watching and/or participating in a planned performance. The goals are to illuminate a social problem and stimulate dialogue.

Rainbow of Desire techniques address internalized oppressions—fear that persist long after the “real” power of oppressor has disappeared. While these techniques may be considered more therapeutic in nature, they are firmly rooted in the social.

Legislative theatre, developed by Boal during his tenure as City Councilman in Rio de Janeiro, is intended to maximize the input of the populace regarding the laws that govern any civic issue (education, health, environment, etc.) Constituency groups enact what their world would be like if certain policies were in effect.