Theatre of the Oppressed

The philosophies of the Theatre of the Oppressed were developed in the early 1970s by its founder Augusto Boal. This guide explores what influenced Boal to develop his very specific idea of theatre as a vehicle for social change. We will examine the interaction between the actors and audience, along with the specific roles in the process.

Terminology

• Coup d’etat: the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group.
• Dialectical: used to describe certain devices used in performance, such as direct address to an audience, the use of placards or signs etc
• Exile: expelled or barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.
• Forum Theatre: a common practice in Theatre of the Oppressed, relying on audience participation and feedback.
• Image Theatre: a type of performance in Theatre of the Oppressed in which participants are shaped as if they were statues to create visual representations of words or concepts.
• Invisible Theatre: a performance in an unlikely or unexpected location.
• Joker: the neutral party or facilitator in Theatre of the Oppressed exercises.
• Legislative Theatre: similar to forum theatre, legislative theatre is used to engage voters with issues up for discussion or debate.
• Newspaper Theatre: a performance relying on improvisation and participation from the audience using inspiration from the news.
• Spect-actor: the dual nature of the audience in Theatre of the Oppressed, both spectators and agents of change.

Key Dates & Events

• 1971 - Boal is arrested and then exiled to Argentina.
• 1979 - Boal publishes The Theatre of the Oppressed.
• 1986 - The Center for the Theatre of the Oppressed is opened in Rio de Janeiro.
• 1992 - Boal publishes Games for Actors and Non-actors.
• 1995 - Boal publishes The Rainbow of Desire.