Forum Theatre
As a child, I remember falling in love with an old musical comedy: ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’. It never occurred to me to wonder what a forum was back then, much less to ask, so it served as the only tangible link my brain could make the first time I heard the term ‘Forum Theatre’ in the context of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed several decades later.
I now know the term has many different applications and would sum it up by calling it a congregation of people, in a specific place, for the purpose of discussion …
… so how does that relate to theatre – a medium based on traditions of storyTELLING, not conversing … or so I thought.
Thanks to the work of Augusto Boal, David Diamond and many other pioneering theatre-based practitioners, an entire new world of possibilities unfolded before me.
As with all Applied Theatre, forum, in this context, utilises the tools of traditional theatre for a purpose, rather than just the aesthetic (no matter how worthy) of entertainment alone.
Encapsulated by Augusto Boal, Theatre of the Oppressed is a form of Applied Theatre - this tree he depicted highlights it’s many branches, including forum theatre. Image credit: Public Act Theatre
Arguably all theatre can be classified as having a deeper meaning or purpose, but Applied Theatre leads specifically with that intent.
Starting with a theme relevant to the community involved, a forum theatre production is usually cast with people who have a lived experience of the situation (not necessarily actors or performers) and creates a short play highlighting multiple layers of the issue – examples of important topics from my corner of the globe would be homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health, to name a few.
Free from the restraints of a traditional story arc, this play does not end all neatly wrapped up with a happily-ever-after-solution, but rather it ceases at the very climax of the complex issue – usually at a point where the audience have their eyes wide open and jaws somewhere around their navel.
A ‘Joker’ – coined not for their comedic prowess, but instead for their ability to play the wild card in the pack, steps in to be whatever version of a host/facilitator the audience requires of them at the time, all while keeping the actors safe and guiding a smooth flow to proceedings.
The actors re-set ready to start again and in this, the 2nd viewing, the audience are encouraged to stop the action when they see an injustice/have an idea around what could be said or done differently along the way, with the aim of achieving a more positive outcome.
A brave volunteer from the audience, known as a spectACTOR, is welcomed on to the stage and, instead of ‘telling’ everyone their idea, they replace one of the characters (for Boal, it was a requirement to replace an oppressed character, for Diamond, it needs to be a character who’s struggle they understood out of their own lived experience) and demonstrate how a different approach to the situation may work out - speaking and acting as that character. The other actors improvise alongside this newest cast member, keeping true to how their character would respond, depicting the most likely outcome in this new scenario.
Public Act Theatre - Housing Forum 2017
I think the most beautiful and powerful aspect of this platform is the lack of ‘lecturing’ from the cast/crew/playwright – they do not profess to know the answer, but stand in strong belief that by starting the conversation, shedding light on as many sides of the story as possible, and giving community members the time and space to be heard, that society may very likely find some wonderful solutions, increase empathy, learn some new behaviours and, at the very least, gain a depth of perspective and learn a lot along the way.
A well-constructed Forum Theatre production requires extensive research on the subject matter and as much input from, and as many connections with, associated groups as possible. This may be in the form of local support networks, educational groups or government agencies for example.
The more elements of the situation that can be presented in the initial play, the greater the chance is of finding workable solutions to the imbalance.
Often dealing with very delicate subject matters, it is paramount to engage with adequate support networks, prior to commencing a project – for cast, crew, audience members and anyone else involved.
Support material may be handed out in pamphlet form at a performance, listed on social media and booking channels, as well as having counsellors and/or other relevant community organisation representatives on site for rehearsals and performances, in addition to having after-hours support numbers available and post-production references for anyone seeking assistance once the performance is over.
If you would like to know more, I highly recommend starting with the Theatre for Living website, which contains a myriad of video archives full of fantastic examples of how the process works. https://theatreforliving.com/video_and_sound.htm
If you’re more of a book worm, I would suggest checking out: How to use Forum Theatre for Community Dialogue - A Facilitator's Handbook by Angelo Miramonti
You can also Google local Applied Theatre companies to see if there’s a group near you – or feel free to contact us if you would like support in starting your own!
To get involved with our next project, head on over to the Contact Us page or check out what we have in the making on our Classes and Projects pages now.
Whatever you do from here, please, start a conversation …