Augusto Boal Workshop Notes

Augusto Boal Workshop Notes

1. Theatre of the Oppressed

   • Image Theatre
     • One person, acting as a sculptor, moulds one or more people acting as statues, using only touch and resisting the use of words or mirror-image modelling
   • Forum Theatre
     • Audience members can interrupt a scene where a character is being oppressed in some way and propose a solution as long as they are acting on stage and not in their seat.
   • Invisible Theatre
     • Enacted in a place where people would not normally expect to see one, for example in the street or in a shopping centre. The performers attempt to disguise the fact that it is a performance from those who observe and who may choose to participate in it, encouraging the spectators to view it as a real event
   • Newspaper Theatre
     • Simple Reading: news item read, detached from the context of the newspaper (which makes it false or controversial).
     • Crossed Reading: two news item are read in alternating form, complementing or contrasting each other in a new dimension.
     • Complementary Reading: information generally omitted by the ruling class are added to the news.
     • Rhythmical Reading: article is read to a rhythm (musical), so it acts as a critical "filter" of the news, revealing the true content initially concealed in the newspaper.
     • Parallel Action: actors mimic the actions as the news is being read. One hears the news and watches its visual complement.
     • Improvisation: news is improvised on stage to exploit all its variants and possibilities.
     • Historical: data recurred from historical moments, events in other countries, or in social systems are added to the news.
     • Historical: data recurred from historical moments, events in other countries, or in social systems are added to the news.
     • Concretion of the Abstract: abstract content in news is made concrete on stage, i.e. hunger, unemployment, etc.
     • Text out of Context: news is presented out of context in which it was originally published.
   • Legislative Theatre
     • The objective is to open up a dialogue between citizens and institutional entities so that there is a flow of power between both groups.

2. Terminology

   • Joker/Facilitator/Difficultator
     • Much of Augusto Boal's theatrical process requires a neutral party to be at the centre of proceedings. This individual is usually called the "facilitator". In Boal's literature this role is referred to as the "joker", in reference to the neutrality of the Joker card in a deck of playing cards.
       • In most cases, but not all, this would be a drama workshop leader. This person takes responsibility for the logistics of the process and ensures a fair proceeding, but must never comment upon or intervene in the content of the performance, as that is the province of the "spect-actors".
   • Spect-actor
     • This is a term created by Augusto Boal to describe those engaged in Forum theatre. It refers to the dual role of those involved in the process as both spectator and actor, as they both observe and create dramatic meaning and action in any performance.
       • Equally, the term "spect-actor" can be attributed to the participants in invisible theatre (who are unaware that they are part of a theatrical production, but nevertheless contribute to the discussion) and image theatre (who, upon viewing the image created, may alter it to reflect their own ideas).
         • Boal emphasizes the critical need to prevent the isolation of the audience. The term "spectator" brands the participants as less than human; hence, is necessary to humanize them, to restore to them their capacity for action in all its fullness. They must also be a subject, an actor on equal plane with those accepted as actors, who in turn must also be spectators. This will eliminate any notions of the ruling class and the theatre solely portraying their ideals while the audience being the passive victims of those images. This way the spectators no longer delegates power to the characters either to think or act in their place. They free themselves; they think and act for themselves. Boal supports the idea that theatre is not revolutionary in itself but is rehearsal of revolution.

3. Other Techniques

   • Analytical Theatre
     • A story is told by one of the participants and immediately the actors improvise it. Afterward each character is broken down into their social roles and the participants are asked to choose a physical object to symbolize each role. For instance for one community the symbol for the head of the family may be a piggy bank, since that individual is the one who controls the finances (power). Having analyzed the characters, a fresh attempt to tell the story is made, however this time removing some of the symbols from each character, and consequently some social roles as well. For example, the story would be perceived differently if the robber had the police uniform and the hostage possessed a revolver. Through this method, the participants will realize that human actions are not the exclusive and primitive result of human psychology: the individual speaks of their class as well.
   • Breaking Repression
     • Boal explains that the technique of breaking repression involves asking the participant to remember a particular moment when he or she felt especially repressed, accepted it, and submitted to act in a manner contrary to his or her own desires. It is necessary, he explains, that the choice is a particular incident rather than a general sense of oppression. The participant describes that incident, which is then reconstructed and re-enacted with other participants of his choosing. This performance is repeated, except that this time the repressed is asked to fight to impose his or her will while the others involved are invited to maintain the repression.
   • Photo Romance
     • Photo romance is a romantic narrative illustrated with sequential photographs in the style of a comic strip, usually published in magazines and such. The technique involves introducing to the participants the general plot without revealing the source of the photo romance. Then, the participants are asked to act out the story, which is then compared to the actual story as described in the source. The differences are discussed thereafter.
   • Rituals and Masks
     • This technique attempts to reveal the ideological super-structure of a society in the form of its rituals. "Rituals" in this sense describes the patterns of human relationships and the masks of behaviour that those patterns impose on the participants according to the roles that they play in society.