1. Augusto Boal
1931 – 2009
Brazilian theatre director, writer and
politician.
Founded Theatre of the Oppressed.
Dangerous - arrested, jailed and tortured
Boal before finally exiling him to
Argentina.
WHY?!
2. Theory
Theatre should be used to change
something. About society, about
culture, about politics, about yourself!
Boal's methods encourage an actual
dialogue with the audience as opposed
to simple one-sided conversation.
Made from local news or political
legislation.
"Invisible Theatre" - could spring up
anywhere and where those witnessing
wouldn't be clued in that it was
performance.
3. Three Boal Techniques
INVISIBLE THEATRE
is a technique of rehearsing a scene with actions
that the protagonist would like to try out in real life.
This is done in a place where these events could
really happen and in front of an audience
who, unaware that they are an
audience, accordingly act as if the improvised
scene was real. Thus, the improvised scene
becomes reality. Fiction penetrates reality. What
the protagonist had rehearsed as a plan, a
blueprint, now becomes an act.
4. IMAGE THEATRE
consists of creating short scenes, no longer than a
minute or two, with a strong image that the entire
audience can easily understand, identify, and
apply to their own lives. Images can be
realistic, allegorical, surrealistic, symbolic or
metaphorical. The only thing that matters is that it
is true; that it is felt as true by the protagonist.
Images tell the story in a condensed, outline form
using pictures with very little or no talking. The
audience is pulled in immediately because they
know exactly what is being said.
Movement, music, and ensemble are used to
heighten the impact.
5. Forum Theatre
is a type of theatrical game where a problem is
shown in an unresolved form. The audience is
invited to suggest and enact solutions. The
scenario is then repeated, allowing the audience
to offer alternative solutions. The game is a contest
between the audience and actors trying to bring
the play (or oppression) to a different end. The
result is a pooling of knowledge, tactics and
experiences. As the audience participates in
enacting solutions to break the cycle of
oppression they are also “rehearsing for life.”
