Recently, I worked with a group of students to develop a piece of Forum Theatre based on Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed. The process was powerful and effective both in its creation and execution. I have always been drawn to Boal's techniques because they fit perfectly in to one of the goals of my philosophy of Theatre on Purpose - using theatre as a way to promote positive social and political change. It is an ideal blend of my training as a Pastoral Counselor and Theatre Director. I have employed numerous techniques with students over the years including Image Theatre, Newspaper Theatre, and Invisible Theatre, but I find Forum Theatre to be the most powerful in the school setting.
In this most recent project, students identified some of the issues facing them on a daily basis. They rejected the word "bullying" stating that the word has now lost much of its meaning because of its over -use. They preferred the more general idea of "disrespect." The topic the students chose was a more subtle kind of oppression within "friend groups." "Normal" seemingly harmless kinds of exchanges that happen on a daily basis that have the potential to hurt and defame a person's character. They focused on the use of social media, posting of pictures to their finsta, tweeting, subtweeting, captions, and snapchat. In effect, they focused on a less obvious form of cyber-bullying without calling it that.
Once the topic was agreed upon, we undertook a process that included tableaux, improvisation, inner monologue, rehearsing, refining and outlining the scenario for clarity. Half the group served as the actors and half as "Spect-Actors."
In rehearsing the process, the Spect-Actors watch the scenario and then respond to what they see. They are then invited to step in to the scene by freezing the action and "tapping out" and replacing one of the characters to affect change or to transform the outcome through their words or actions.
In this respect, the process departs slightly from Boal's intent, where the protagonist, in this case the target of the cyber-bullying, would be tapped out. We elected to have any character in the scene potentially be replaced including the protagonist.
It is extremely important that in the development of the piece that each character have a distinct role in the oppression so that the result of replacing the character significantly changes the outcome. In a school setting we identified the overt bully, the victim, the by-stander, the escalator with more malicious intent, the authority figure - be it a teacher, coach, or counselor- and the so- called friend.
Identifying these characters and shaping them is a critical piece in the development process.
Typically, the development process includes a bit of floundering, confusion, and feelings of failure. It is not unlike writing a play or developing any kind of original material - the process takes time before it is ready to go up in front of an audience. In Forum Theatre, the rehearsal process is an attempt to give the actors time to solidify their roles and to develop confidence in their improvisational skills. The entire process is guided by the "Joker" who serves as the facilitator. This person needs to be someone who has the keen ability to listen and conduct a discussion without imposing ideas, viewpoints, or opinions.
At the point that the piece is ready to go up before an identified audience, it is akin to a theatrical high wire act without a net. No one knows what direction the piece will go or if it will have the intended impact. In order to give the student actors a feeling of a safety net, I allow the other members of the class to serve as "plants" in case of impending disaster. We identify one or two places to stop the action and transform the scene as a model for the audience.
Fortunately, I have never had to employ this tactic but it offers the actors a sense of security.
Using theatrical processes to raise awareness of societal, cultural, and political issues is one of the most fulfilling experiences one can have as a theatre educator. It takes skill and courage to undertake this process and must be used within appropriate boundaries of the school setting. This is where a teacher must use care, sensitivity and understanding of their particular school community.
I always say, if the process has integrity, the product has integrity. I have yet to see a Forum Theatre piece fail to impact an audience. I have witnessed countless examples of profound responses from various populations based on the topic being explored. It is a powerful tool for theatre educators.
