Forum Theatre Performance

4 February, 7:00 p.m.

Drama Theatre – Gabrovo

Forum Theatre was developed in Latin America as a means of addressing the most important issues in the lives of ordinary people. Initially used in literacy campaigns for workers and peasants, and later in a broader sense, Brazilian director Augusto Boal created a theatrical form in which “the oppressed become artists.”

Today, Forum Theatre exists in many forms and is applied in all areas of life. Typical sessions begin with exercises and games designed to activate and connect the five senses and create an atmosphere of fun and creativity. The aim of the session is to develop one or more theatrical pieces drawn from the participants’ experiences—stories and examples of what Boal defined as “oppression”: injustice, a lack of understanding, or an act of violence.

The structure of the play must include a protagonist, or main character—the oppressed person who is humiliated or wronged by the antagonist (the oppressor). Unlike the protagonist, the antagonist may be represented by multiple characters.

The session is led by a facilitator who, in a forum theatre performance, is called the Joker—a host and mediator between the actors and the audience. During the preparatory phase, the Joker acts as group leader, playwright, and director: selecting games and activities for the group and helping choose a story (case) that is broken down into scenes and staged as a short play with a negative ending that the audience is invited to try to change.