Introduction from the Joker

”Hello, thank you very much for being here with us! We are a team of volunteers (who are not professional actors) that prepared a performance ( give a name if you have a title for it) tackling a social issue/situation (NOTE: don’t mention the issue-because this will influence the public), inspired from reality (maybe it is also in your reality) which we want to introduce and to discuss with you. After the short play I will come back and we will discuss your observations about the performance. As I have said – the volunteers are not professional actors so I want to invite you to encourage them with a strong round of applause.”

Optionally, you can ask the public some questions regarding the themes from the performance which will start a little bit the connection with their reality. If you choose this option you need to ask questions inspired fully by aspects related to the story BUT do not ask questions that will actually reveal the problem as this means influencing the public.

Examples:

“How many of you have volunteered?” “How many of you are in love, or were in love at some point in your life?” “How many of you had a dream that came true?” etc. (and then at the end you can mention to the public – “This is the story of one volunteer – let’s see what happened to him/her – please give a round of applause as they are not professional actors and need some encouragement.”

The play is performed/image is shown the first time

The Problem

“Now that you have seen our performance, let’s discuss it more.

Optional: “For one minute talk with the neighbour on your right or left about the story and what happened in it.” – After 2-3 minutes (which will also warm-up the public) continue with the public:

• What happened in this story?
• Did you observe any problem?
• What is the main problem according to you and why?
• Are there other opinions in this regard?
• I see that some of you think the main problem reflected here is…… and others that it is …….. Are there other opinions as well? In order to advance in our discussion I want to see how you feel about it so I will ask you to raise your hands-who considers that this performance is about …..and who thinks it’s about……As more of you think it is……. If it’s ok for the others to look at this story from this angle we will continue in this direction.
• Is this story/problem real? Where do you think it is happening?
• Does it happen in your community/around you as well? Could you give some examples? How does this problem end in our example? Do you think that this type of situations have to always end this way?
• Can this be changed?

( at this stage we want just to hear the public say YES – do not go into details)

The Characters

“Let’s have a closer look into this story and to analyse what is happening with the main people involved in this story. You said that we have here an example of ……. Who is the person mainly affected by this problem?”

The public will hopefully mention the oppressed person – if they mention more people repeat the question: “Who do you think is most affected by the problem? Who suffers the most?” Invite the oppressed person on stage and ask the public to applaud again. You do not need to mention to the public she/he is oppressed – in the eyes of the public they can be named the victim or the person suffering in this situation.

Questions about the character:

• What can you say about this person?
• What is he/she doing in the story?
• What is the last thing he/she does? (this is for the oppressed only – to point out with the help of the public that the wrong decision that was made)
• Do you know people like him/her in your reality?
• Do you think she/he can do something different in her situation not to make that decision? ( at this stage we want just to hear the public say YES – do not go into details-– they will show their ideas in the intervention phase)

One by one, by making the connection between the characters, invite the actors on stage. “Who is the person making the victim suffer or make that decision?- to identify the oppressor from the public’s perspective; “Who supports or is on the side of …..?”; “Who else is in the story and what is their position towards this topic?”

When inviting them on stage, position them the way the public perceives them – victim and oppressors-the Joker stands between them. Whenever they mention an ally, they have to go next to the person they support and the neutral a little bit out of the line. In the end the public will see all of the actors, their positions in the story and the relations between them. Having this perspective will help the public identify potential solutions to the problem by making connections.

For each of the characters, the Joker asks the public:

• What can you say about this person?
• What is he/she doing in the story?
• Do you know people like him/her in your reality?
• Do you think she/he can do something different so this story doesn’t end the way it does? ( At this stage we want just to hear the public say YES – do not go into details) – This question is not asked for the oppressor. (After you finish with all the actors – give them another round of applause and send them backstage).

Change making Process

“Up to now we have been discussing a specific story that reflects a problem present as well in your community. Our team decided to present this situation to you in order to explore together how it can be changed (if it can) especially since, as you also mentioned, many people are faced with it. We have asked you to think if this can change and also if the persons involved in the story can do something different in order to change it. You have answered positively to these aspects. Now you have the chance to actually show how these situations can be changed. We do not want just to talk about making changes – we want to show them. The power is in your hands. We will show the performance again from the beginning (you already know how it ends). Whenever you consider that somebody involved in the situation can do something different, make a different decision, have a different attitude, you can came on stage and show it. The story will change and have a different ending only if you show all the ideas that you have when you tell us that this can be changed.

There are some rules that we will follow so your ideas can be better processed:

• If you want to change – CLAP one time – at any moment when the persons on the stage do no act as you think they should. The scene will freeze and you can come and replace the person and show how she/he should act; You come and make a change for that specific moment – once you have finished your intervention CLAP again, the stage will freeze and you go back to the public area;
• You can change …….(and mention their name/position in the story) – The only person you cannot change is ……. (mention the name of the Oppressor). Of course we wish that this kind of person acted differently and didn’t cause such situations but they do exist in reality. It is not realistic to change and make them into good people – we want to encourage you to find alternatives that can be used by persons being confronted with such people/situations.
• No physical violence on stage-we do not support physical violence as a solution (to any kind of violence) although you might disagree and here you are invited to think about alternative solutions!
• No magic on stage – we welcome realistic solutions (not that, for example, the victim wins the lottery and moves to another part of the world)
• Only one person from the public is on stage at a time– if you have another idea you can show it after the person on stage finishes.
• Whenever you feel something can be done – clap –we do not go back in time so take advantage of the moment where the change is needed!

“If you don’t like what’s happening in this story – change it! If you don’t change it, it will continue the same way.”

Let’s warm our hands – as you will use them for stopping the action. I want you to clap and the speed of clapping will change based on the indicator I show to you from faster to slower and so on.”

The Joker can play with the applause a little bit so the public warms-up- You can also do an extra energizer with the public – the public needs to feel relaxed and ready to act.

The play is performed the second time