Forum theatre is based on the idea that theatre can be used as a tool for social change. By allowing the audience to participate in the performance, Boal believed that theatre could help to raise awareness of social issues and empower people to take action to change their lives.
In a forum theatre performance, the actors present a scene that depicts a social problem. The audience is then invited to stop the performance and suggest alternative ways for the characters to act. The actors then improvise the scene according to the audience's suggestions.
This process can be repeated multiple times, with the audience exploring different ways to resolve the social problem. Through this process, the audience learns about the issue and is encouraged to think critically about possible solutions.
Forum theatre has been used to address a wide range of social issues, including poverty, racism, sexism, and environmental destruction. It has been performed in communities all over the world, and it has been shown to be an effective tool for raising awareness and promoting social change.
Here are some of the key features of forum theatre:
* Audience participation: The audience is not just passive observers in forum theatre. They are encouraged to participate actively in the performance by stopping the action and suggesting alternative ways for the characters to act.
* Improvisation: The actors in forum theatre improvise the scenes according to the audience's suggestions. This allows the performance to be responsive to the needs of the audience and to explore a variety of different solutions to the social problem.
* Reflection: Forum theatre encourages the audience to reflect on the social problem and to think critically about possible solutions. This can lead to greater awareness of the issue and a stronger commitment to social change.