Introduction

The toolkit that awaits the reader after the introduction part is in fact an ambitious initiative. It is based on years of experience of the A.R.T. Fusion Association (Romania) in working with Theatre of the Oppressed methods but inspired by the first Africa-Europe youth cooperation project focused on Forum Theatre: “Act for What You Believe” (details about the project will follow as well).

The reality is that in the world there are a huge number of practitioners in the Theatre of the Oppressed field (as it will be highlighted in the specific chapter) and maybe even a higher number of various institutions, organization representatives or individual activists that will desire to work with the methods. What are missing from this huge invisible network are standardization and a common methodological approach that could be easily shared and introduced to the newcomers in the field. As by “wireless phone”, these methods have been transferred, replicated, adjusted and adapted in multiple ways everywhere in the world in the last 30 years.

In every capacity building project (focused on Forum or Image Theatre) implemented by A.R.T. Fusion we were confronted with requests (based on genuine needs) for more specific guidelines and tools that could give more support for becoming Independent Multipliers.

Based on these aspects in this manual the reader will get to know in details the following:

• Description of Forum Theatre and Image Theatre Methodology as it was developed and applied in the last years by A.R.T. Fusion groups (small warning in this regard: it may certainly differ from how other practitioners use it)
• Concrete examples of FT and IT (for a deeper understanding of what the methodology looks like in practice)
• Detailed Curricula for working with Forum and Image Theatre (with specific instructions for beginners in the field)
• Detailed guidelines for the role of Joker
• Contact details of experienced multipliers from Europe and Africa that can provide free consultation in working with these methods for beginners.

This represents an ambitious initiative not only because it is first of this kind that will be freely shared with anybody interested but also because it includes considerations related to different cultures where the methods could be used. The inspiration for this product came from an intercontinental project that provided a reasonable amount of reflections related to what can work or not in very different cultural settings.

Who are the persons that this toolkit is addressed to?

• Practitioners in Theatre of the Oppressed field ( to enrich their toolbox, to diversify their understanding of these methods, to deepen their methodological competencies, to get inspired);
• Beginners in the field (to have a concrete hands-on manual that could guide them in their work, to fill the gaps in their understanding and approach, to sharpen their facilitation skills, to contribute to their independence as users);
•  People interested to work with these methods (it will provide an almost complete understanding of how the authors work with the methods, a detailed curricula designed to help newcomers to the field as well and free consultation opportunity)
• Curious people (it might inspire them to start working with these methods BUT a mention needs to be made: this is not a novel, it is quite a technical material-not quite a before naptime reading option)

The readers are invited and encouraged to share their views, opinions, feedback, comments, criticism, etc. after exploring everything that this toolkit includes and we thank you in advance for taking the time to do that.

Enjoy the reading,

Andreea-Loredana Tudorache 

A.R.T. Fusion Romania 7