MYP4 Drama

Unit 2: Theatre as a Weapon

Week 2: Forum Theatre

Key Concept: Global Context: Fairness and Development
Change Power and privilege, Imagining a hopeful future, Inequality, Peace and conflict management

Related Concepts: Statement of Inquiry: Self expression becomes an agent of change,

Boundaries through breaking boundaries to collaboratively imagine a hopeful and
fairer future.

Factual Approaches to Learning

● How has Theatre of the Oppressed been used to promote Fairness and Communication
Development and Change in different times and places ? ● Give and receive meaningful feedback
Conceptual ● Use a variety of speaking techniques
● In which ways could you use Forum Theatre effectively to break to communicate with a variety of
boundaries and promoting positive change through your own audiences
performance work? ● Negotiate ideas and knowledge with
● How can we empower an audience to make change? peers and teachers
Debatable Social
● Do theatre makers have a responsibility to promote positive change and ● Practise empathy
break boundaries through their work?
● Should we really use theatre as a 'weapon' ? Learner Profile:
Risk Taker, Open Minded, Reflective
 Augusto Boal

Last week you started learning about

Augusto Boal and his Theatre of the
Oppressed, You looked at the Inquiry for the
unit and you answered some questions on the
videos you watched. Boal used theatre to open debate and
allow audiences to explore different ways
The videos explained the ORIGINAL of dealing with oppression. One of the
CONTEXTS of Boal’s work; the events and most famous techniques he developed is
experiences that directly impacted his work. known as FORUM THEATRE. Forum
theatre is one part of Boal’s wider theory;
One of Boal’s main theories was that the Theatre of the Oppressed.
audience should be empowered through
theatre; that theatre should be ‘used as a
weapon’.
 What is Forum Theatre?

Forum Theatre falls under the umbrella of Theatre of the Oppressed. It is perhaps
the most famous aspect of Boal’s work.

Key terminology: Joker, Anti-Model, Forum, Spect-actor

https://www.involve.org.uk/resources/methods/forum-theatre
https://www.involve.org.uk/resources/methods/forum-theatre
 Forum Theatre
We are going to spend the next few weeks learning about Forum Theatre.

The play you are going to watch is an example of the use of Boal’s work in a DISPLACED CONTEXT. The
company, Cardboard Citizens, are a British theatre company working with the homeless community in the UK.

Read the ‘Our Story’ page on the company website then watch the short videos
https://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/our-story

Extension Task: If you want to know more about Cardboard Citizens and/or
Forum Theatre watch these videos/read the links

https://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/theatre-oppressed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srvnPJcLmlM&t=16s

https://www.formaat.org/

http://www.mandalaforchange.com/site/applied-theatre/theatre-of-the-oppressed/
This week we will watch the ‘anti-model’ segment of ‘Rising’ by Femi Keeling,
performed by Cardboard Citizens. Next week we will watch the ‘Forum’ section of
the play.
If there is any time left this week
After watching the anti-model and doing the research tasks, you can work on
developing your own anti-model!

There should be ‘no happy ending’ - the oppression must be left unresolved.