Defining Oppression and Forum Theatre
(in this approach)
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First of all we define oppression as power abuse and in Forum Theatre we focus on very concrete examples of oppression which happen between people that have a sort of relation in a certain situation (colleagues, neighbours, relatives, in-laws, friends, etc.). We do not work with abstract forms of oppression or hidden oppression (that is not explicit) as we choose to depict aspects of reality that happen in front of our eyes (or of our target group’s) and change is needed.
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A real life case is used for the Forum Theatre play- so the main source of information is reality, either of the team members (if they are faced with that specific problem) or from discussions with people who experience that specific oppression. We do not invent, use rumours or our own assumptions. The play is focused on only one specific example of oppression (not more), it has only one oppressed character, only one oppressor, (there is a relation between them), each of them has 1-2 allies/supporters on their side and there are also 1-2 neutral people in the story. It has a length of between 12 to 15 minutes, 3-4 scenes and shows the process of oppression and how it increases in intensity.
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The play has a negative ending (the oppressed makes a wrong decision).
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The play is showed to a public who is connected to the problem (they are victims of it, or are connected in some way to the problem – as allies of the victims or oppressors, or they are neutrals).
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The performance is showed the first time so the public gets to understand what is happening and what the end of the story is. The performance will be shown a second time (after a discussion with the public takes place) and this second time the public is invited to make changes so the ending of the story will be different. The public will have to come with ideas to reduce or to solve the oppression depicted on stage (by balancing the power relations among the people involved in that specific situation). In the next chapter you can read more concrete examples of Forum Theatre from 5 countries and how the public intervened to change the story end.
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The process with the public is managed by a Joker who facilitates the discussions with the public and stimulates them to reflect on and critically analyse the proposals for change, how realistic they are and also how they can transfer them to reality. Forum Theatre is a very powerful tool for empowerment on different levels in a community as it brings attitudinal changes among the public members and also among the team members.
Methodological, technical aspects and rules used in Forum Theatre
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It is preferable to work with non-actors (as actors in our experience end up focusing on the artistic part of the work and not on the social change part) but nobody is excluded from the process;
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Team members should be volunteers that are genuinely interested in making a change in society with their involvement in the Forum Theatre project;
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The scenes are shown in chronological order; If there is a different time or different location/setting then it is a different scene. We do not show 2 scenes in parallel;
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We do not show psychical violence on stage – we can suggest it (that it is happening in that specific context) but we do not show it explicitly – because it can actually be reinforced as acceptable behaviour, it can scare or shock public members (as it can be too strong for them, it can inhibit them from coming on stage, being afraid to face physical violence)
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One actor has one role – we do not use anyone two times (same person having multiple roles) ;
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We do not use the travesty approach – one person playing a different gender role (unless we do have a performance about this aspect); If possible we do not use microphones – to keep the play as simple as possible and also because in reality people do not talk into microphones among themselves (but if we have a large crowd in the public of course it will be needed)
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We do not use music or special lights (this doesn’t happen in reality either); The public has free access to the performance - we do not ask for money from the public as this will restrict their access and therefore reduce the impact;
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Usually the process takes 1.5 hours – even 2 hours, depending on how many solutions the public proposes. We do not speed the process by approaching it superficially – it takes so long as it goes more deeply into the issue and it contributes to a longer-term impact on the public.
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It is better to not have more then 50-60 people in the public as then the discussions with such large crowds will be less deep than with a smaller public.
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The public needs to be informed if photographs are taken or video is shot and if they ok with that or not.
The rules for interventions from the public
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The Oppressor cannot be changed;
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Everybody else can be changed (oppressed, all the allies, neutral people); If you want to change: clap your hands one time– the people on stage will freeze;
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If you want to get off the stage (once you finished you intervention): clap – the people on stage will freeze;
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No violence is allowed on the stage – the public is encouraged to come with alternative solutions;
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No magic solutions – the public is encouraged to come with realistic solutions.
Process with the public
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The second time, the play starts from the beginning and the public needs to intervene at any moment they feel the people on stage should act differently (in order to reduce/solve the oppression). If we get to the second scene we do not go back in time for the first scene. Whenever they feel a change needs to be made they need to clap at that moment.
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After each person from the public makes an intervention the Joker discusses it with the public, its realism and what change it made. The public takes the decision (by voting) if the change is to be kept (and the actor who was changed will continue to act as the spect-actor suggested) or is not to be kept and then another person from the public shows a different alternative that maybe will be assessed as more realistic by the public.
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Every change needs to be decided with the public (by voting).
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The Joker is neutral – he/she just asks the questions and never says his/ her own opinion about anything (more details about the Joker in the specific chapter from this manual).
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The actors on the stage will improvise based on the changes made by the public members in harmony with their roles, realistically reflecting the reaction towards the new proposed change.
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We do not close the process without having an acceptable ending – it will send across a negative message with the public who tried to make changes and they cannot see the outcomes of their efforts.
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The actors do not interact with the public – it is only the Joker that talks with the public; the only space and context where the actors and the public members interact is during the play if they make interventions.
Steps in Forum Theatre development
For a deeper understanding we concentrated the process of developing a Forum Theatre project in 6 process phases explained briefly in the following lines. Each phase depends on the previous one and none of them should be taken out from the process
First phase - the basis
This phase is focused on finding answers to the following questions – the order can be different based on the type of project:
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Who is the team?(it can be part of the oppressed target group or a team of volunteers who believes in change using this method)
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What are the budget and the structure of the project? (if there is an existing project)- it will influence time allocation;
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What are the social problem approached and the aim of the Forum Theatre project? (aim is in relation with the social problem - to bring a change in relation to the problem)- Sometimes the topic is proposed by the organization (based on the program and projects they are dealing with) but it can also be decided together with the team.
Second phase – group/team development
This phase is focused on the team of volunteers, to work on their group dynamics, getting to know each other, teambuilding, etc. It’s an important phase to set out the foundation of the team that is going to create a Forum Theatre play together.
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Getting to know each-other
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Teambuilding exercises
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Trust exercises
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Communication exercises
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Energizers/Ice breakers/ etc. Introducing the Forum Theatre method (information, videos, some exercises)
Third phase – Forum Theatre Preparation
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If the topic is already given (from a third party) it is important to do research on the oppression problem (understanding more deeply, research, direct contact with people affected or working with the theme, interviews, talking to specialists, etc.)
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Preparatory games, exercises, activities on: Attention, coordination, focus, space, body, speeds, movements, emotions (expressing emotions), rhythm, voice, imagination, creativity, decision making, etc.
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Specific forum theatre (and other theatre of the oppressed) exercises: power exercises, exploring and understanding oppression, imitations, improvisations, image exercises, image theatre.
Fourth phase - Development of the Forum Theatre Play
(*very important note: decisions are taken by consensus)
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Sharing/working with concrete stories reflecting the concerned social problem;
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Choosing the story that is the most relevant to the problem and that more people (from the target group/public could identify themselves with);
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Structuring the performance (3-4 scenes connected between them that have a dramatic ending (the oppressed character makes a bad decision), 10-15 minutes maximum;
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Role distribution (based on personal preferences, not allocated – they could change in the process);
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Female roles are distributed to women, male roles are distributed to men, no travesty (only if the play is about it);
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Exercises for developing the characters;
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Exercises for developing the script;
Fifth phase-implementation of the Forum Theatre performance
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Introduction (from the Joker) (energizers with the public-to warm them up).
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The play is performed the first time.
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Discussion with the public (about the problem, characters, connection with reality, discussion about the idea of change).
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Explaining the change process and the rules (clapping for making interventions, change of any characters except the oppressor, only one person at a time, no violence, no magic solutions).
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Interventions from the public and management of the interventions until the oppression is reduced, the oppressed character doesn’t make the bad decision anymore.
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interventions, change of any characters except the oppressor, only one person at a time, no violence, no magic solutions).
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Interventions from the public and management of the interventions until the oppression is reduced, the oppressed character doesn’t make the bad decision anymore.
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interventions, change of any characters except the oppressor, only one person at a time, no violence, no magic solutions).
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Interventions from the public and management of the interventions until the oppression is reduced, the oppressed character doesn’t make the bad decision anymore. For each intervention there is a discussion (about the change produced and its realism) and a decision made with the public if the change is kept or not!
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Summary of discussions and solutions proposed.
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Transfer – the public is asked what they can transfer to their lives.
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Conclusion.
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Closure.
Sixth phase – evaluation and follow-up
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Team evaluation, evaluation of the public (short and long term);
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Decision with the team on how to proceed next – another FT play or another type of intervention.
In the next pages the readers can understand even more deeply the Forum Theatre method and process of developing such plays because:
- In the next chapter they can see concrete examples of Forum Theatre plays that were implemented in 2013 in 5 countries ;
- In the following chapter they can access a detailed curriculum that provides supplementary information regarding the method explained step by step;
There is also a chapter about the Joker which will detail with adequate information the role in Forum Theatre context.
