FORUM THEATRE: FORTUNE & FAILURE(S) DR NICOLA ABRAHAM

PLAN OF ACTION 1. DISCUSS CRITICAL QUESTIONS RAISED BY READING 2. INTRODUCE CASE STUDY EXAMPLES OF FORUM THEATRE PRACTICE 3. CREATE RESPONSIVE FORUM THEATRE : EXPERIMENT 4. UNPACK EXPERIMENTS 5. FINAL ASSESSMENT TROUBLE SHOOT & UNIT FEEDBACK FORM

QUESTIONS RAISED BY READING WHAT IS FORUM THEATRE FOR? WHAT IS RADICAL DEMOCRATIC THEATRE FROM FISHER’S PERSPECTIVE? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACING A JOKER? WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTAGONIST/PROTAGONIST FOR SPECT-ACTORS?

FORUM THEATRE: AN EXAMPLE

CASE STUDY COMPANIES 1. THEATRE FOR LIVING (HEADLINES THEATRE), CANADA (UNCONVENTIONAL FORUM THEATRE) 2. CARDBOARD CITIZENS, UK (ORTHODOX FORUM THEATRE) 3. INTERACT, AUSTRIA (RAINBOW OF DESIRE/FORUM THEATRE HYBRID) 4. THE CREATURE METHODOLOGY

THEATRE FOR LIVING (HEADLINES THEATRE), CANADA

HEADLINES THEATRE, CANADA FOUNDED IN 1981, VANCOUVER'S THEATRE FOR LIVING (FORMERLY HEADLINES THEATRE), DIRECTED BY DAVID DIAMOND, USES THEATRE FOR LIVING TO HELP LIVING COMMUNITIES TELL THEIR STORIES. THEATRE FOR LIVING HAS EVOLVED FROM AUGUSTO BOAL'S "THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED". SINCE 1989 THEATRE FOR LIVING WORK HAS SLOWLY MOVED AWAY FROM THE BINARY LANGUAGE AND MODEL OF "OPPRESSOR/OPPRESSED" AND NOW APPROACHES COMMUNITY-BASED CULTURAL WORK FROM A SYSTEMS- BASED PERSPECTIVE; UNDERSTANDING THAT A COMMUNITY IS A COMPLEXLY INTEGRATED, LIVING ORGANISM. THEATRE FOR LIVING'S WORK IS A WORLDWIDE LEADING EXAMPLE OF THEATRE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE; THEATRE FOR DIALOGUE CREATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION; THEATRE FOR COMMUNITY HEALING AND EMPOWERMENT. PROJECTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN COLLABORATION WITH FIRST NATIONS AND MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH HUNDREDS OF THEATRE WORKSHOPS, POWER PLAYS AND FORUM THEATRE EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD ON ISSUES SUCH AS VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE PREVENTION, ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOPS, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH, OTHERING, BULLYING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

HEADLINES THEATRE, CANADA PROJECT: CORPORATIONS IN OUR HEADS (2013)

CARDBOARD CITIZENS, UK

CARDBOARD CITIZENS, UK What we do Cardboard Citizens tells stories that need to be told, through theatre performed on the stage, in the street, in hostels, centres and prisons. A creative hub for excluded people, our workshops, training, support and progression grow confidence, community and skills. Renowned for our Forum Theatre and storytelling expertise, our productions, training and consultancy draw people from across the globe to share in the surprising power of theatre.

CARDBOARD CITIZENS, UK PROJECT: BENEFITS (2015) Artistic Director Adrian Jackson discussing Cardboard Citizens

INTERACT, AUSTRIA INTERACT

INTERACT, AUSTRIA OUR THEATRE WORK BASED ON SOCIO-POLITICALLY RELEVANT ISSUES AND CONFLICTS. WE CREATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AESTHETIC AND SOCIAL PROCESSES AND GO FIRST OF SUBJECTIVE OF EACH PARTICIPANTS / STAKEHOLDERS OF PERSPECTIVES, EXPERIENCES AND CONCERNS - TO BE FURTHER DEVELOPED IN A COLLECTIVE PROCESS TO THEATRICAL IMAGES AND SCENES - INCLUDING THE APPROPRIATE SEARCH. THE NETWORKING AND COOPERATION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE WITH TECHNICALLY RELEVANT PROJECTS AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE LOCAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SCENE. WE MAKE THEATRE AS A MEDIUM FOR COMMUNICATION AND DIALOGUE, AND FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE OUR PROCESSES, THUS CREATING OPPORTUNITY SPACES. WE WORK IN THE TENSION BETWEEN EVERYDAY REALITY AND VISION AND TRY THE "BREATHING SPACE THEATER" DIVERSE ACTION AND CHANGE OPTIONS FOR THE SOCIAL REALITY, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THEATRE ART AS, FOOD ', EVERYDAY CULTURE AND LIFE EXPERIENCE ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ARTISTIC PROCESS. THEATRE ARTS IS A MAN VERY OWN FORM OF EXPRESSION AND EXISTENTIAL LANGUAGE WHICH SHOULD BE DEVELOPED ACCORDINGLY. WILL BROUGHT RESULTS OF THEATRICAL PROCESSES PERFORMED, THE AUDIENCE HAS A SPECIAL ROLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE MOSTLY INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCES CAN TO EXPLORE NEW PERSPECTIVES, VIEWPOINTS AND MANOEUVRES. IN OUR THEATRE WORK AUGUSTO BOAL'S APPROACH IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THE "FORUM THEATRE" AS INTERACTIVE- THEATRICAL DISCUSSION IN WHICH THE AUDIENCE CAN TRY ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS TO A PREDETERMINED (CONFLICT) SCENE

INTERACT, AUSTRIA PROJECT: CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND PUBLIC SPACE (ONGOING) Inter ACT used forms of interactive theater and street theater for processes of citizen participation and urban development as well as for artistic interventions in the public space. This will create public forums for discourse and dialogue, participation and culture of conflict and contribute to urban and regional development and identity at.

YOUR TASK: EXPERIMENT IN FORUM

DECIDE UPON AN OPPRESSION YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT: THIS SHOULD INVOLVE A MOMENT OF OPPRESSION CREATE A SHORT SCENE (NO MORE THAN 2 MINUTES) THAT SHOWS THIS SCENE IN ACTION REHEARSE POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS FOR THE JOKER TO STOP/START ADHERING TO CONVENTIONAL FORUM THEATRE AND JOKERING RULES TEST OUT SHOWS ON PEER AUDIENCE REVIEW AND DISCUSS EFFICACY: IS THEATRE REALLY A REHEARSAL FOR REAL LIFE/REVOLUTION? WHAT ARE THE LIMITS/POSSIBILITIES OFFERED BY THIS FORM? WHAT TYPES OF CHANGE MAY OCCUR? IS THIS VALUABLE?

PERF. DEM., ESSAY QUESTIONS & RISK ASSESSMENT YOUR TURN: ASK ANY PERF. DEM. CLARIFICATION AND ESSAY CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDRESSED…

UNIT FEEDBACK SURVEY TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO COMPLETE THE UNIT FEEDBACK SURVEY. IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR YOU TO BE SPECIFIC AND NAME WHAT YOU LIKED IN SESSION AND AREAS OF ADVICE FOR THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE UNIT THANK YOU!