Let us be clear about the concepts: we use the word ‘aggression’ to designate the last level of oppression. ‘Oppression’ is not an exclusively physical phenomenon, however, to be resolved in physical terms. Oppression is very often interiorized; the oppressed can still liberate themselves.
Victims of aggression, if they are physically strong, can return the aggression. Consequently, when the model presents an aggression, the only answer is resignation because all the possible courses of action depend exclusively on physical strength. What is even more pernicious is that this totally demobilizes the spect-actor. And in situations like this, it is best to go back, pick up the story again at an earlier point in time and find out at what point the oppressed still had a choice of several solutions (before the scenario wends its way to an aggressive end).
2. The Style of the Model
The most important thing, over and above anything else, is that Forum Theatre should be good theatre; that the model in itself offers a source of aesthetic pleasure. Before the ‘forum’ part begins, the show itself must be watch-able and well constructed. The danger of a poor production is that it can seduce the audience into a spoken participation, into having verbal discussions about possible solutions, instead of doing it theatrically.
The model can be developed by means of the various Image Theatre processes, especially the sequences of techniques which end in the construction of the ‘ritual’ concretizing the way the subject is being oppressed. For this purpose, three forms of ritual are possible: 1) the realistic ritual, 2) the extrapolated ritual, and 3) the metaphoric ritual.
3. Do the problems have to be urgent or not? Should they be simple or complex?
When one has a problem which is clear, concrete, and urgent, logically the debate should lead to solutions which are just as clear, concrete and urgent. However, if a lack of precision is apparent, the forum may serve to analyze a situation without synthesizing possible solutions.
4. Do we have to arrive at a solution or not?
Sometimes a forum can have the function of ‘previewing’ a solution which will automatically be tried upon leaving the show. Achieving a good dialogue, however, is more important than achieving a good solution, because the thing which incites the spect-actors into entering into the game is the discussion and not the solution which may or may not be found. Even if one does reach a solution, it may be good for the person who has proposed it, or good within the confines of the dialogue, but not necessarily useful or applicable for all the participants in the forum.
Certainly, one almost always learns something useful in a forum dialogue. Dialogue stimulates, arouses, enriches, and prepares the spectator for action in real life. Thus, when the model is not urgent, that is to say when it is not about having to act in reality immediately upon leaving the show, finding a solution is not of prime importance.
5. Does the model of the future action needed to be depicted or not?
Depicting the model of the future action can function as a dress rehearsal of the actual act. Such a representation can help condense results of the said forum. In all dialogue, a portion escapes the audience’s memory; a visual representation can help to summarize it.
However, precautions should be taken. If the model of the future action is suitable for all those present, its representation will serve as fresh and final stimulus for the real action. In the opposite case, one runs the risk of presenting an ‘evangelical’ model, recommending actions which are impossible to realize in practice.
6. Error or doubt?
If we inform our spect-actors that the protagonist of our model has committed an error, this implies that we think the protagonist has taken the wrong approach. Consequently, the right way of expressing this is to say that in the model we have doubts about the way the oppressed protagonist behaved.
7. The Conduct of the Joker
(Summary below, see section on “Joker Standards of Conduct” for expanded version.)
Jokers must avoid all actions which could manipulate or influence the audience. Jokers personally decide nothing. The Joker must constantly be relaying doubts back to the audience so that it is they who make the decisions. Jokers must watch out for ‘magic’ solutions. The physical stance of the Joker is extremely important. The Joker is a midwife.
8. Theatricality or reflection?
Ultimately, should the presentation of a forum tend towards the theatrical? Should one seek to produce an event which is good theatre, even after the presentation of the model, or should one, on the contrary aim to stimulate reflection, argument, action?
Normally, in a theatre, there is an almost inevitable tendency towards theatricality. The presence of a large audience makes the theatrical nature of the show almost inevitable. When dealing with smaller audiences, of motivated people, reflection gains the upper hand, and the search for solutions can be more fruitful; especially if the forum is to be followed by real action.
9. The Staging
Generally speaking, sets are limited to tables, chairs, and nothing else. This should be taken as contingency, rather than choice. Ideally the set should be as fully developed as possible, with as minute detail and as much complexity as is necessary. The same goes for costumes. The characters should be recognizable by the clothes they wear and the objects they use. Very often, oppression is reflected in clothes, in things. Objects and dress should be real, charged, clear, stimulating. The more care is taken over the aesthetics of the show, the more it will stimulate and the more the audience will take part. How wonderful it is to see a spect-actor come on stage and dress for the part, before she starts to act. The spect-actor feels more protected, feels more like one of ‘cast’. A spect-actor in her character’s costume is much freer, much more creative.
Yet another important thing, ‘blocking’ – i.e. movements on stage. Every movement of every actor is significant. Movement cannot be arbitrary, it must have a context. The distance between two people is important in terms of the ideas it conveys.
10. The function of the warm-up
In all forum shows, it is recommended to always integrate an element of ‘warming-up’ of spect-actors. The function of these exercises is not only warming up but forging a ‘group’ out of a bunch of people, a sort of ‘communion’ – if we do something together we become a real group, rather than merely a juxtaposition of individuals. The warm-up also prepares the spect-actors for action – an essential prelude to the desired Forum Theatre interventions.
11. The function of the actor
Forum theatre demands a different style of acting. During the forum proper, actors must be extremely dialectical. When they take up a counter-stance against a spect-actor/protagonist who wants to break the oppression, they must be honest and show that the oppressions are not so easily defeated. They must show the difficulties which will appear, while retaining a manner which encourages the spect-actor to break the oppression. While impeding the attempt the attempt to break the oppression, they should rouse the spect-actor to achieve it.
If the actor is too firm, it can discourage or, worse still, frighten the spect-actor. If the actor is too soft and vulnerable, with no counter-arguments or counter-actions, it can mislead the spect-actor into believing that the problem posed by the play is easier to resolve than he or she thought. Dialectical actors must know how to give and take, how to hold back and lead on, how to be creative. They must feel no fear of losing their place, or standing aside.
12. The repeated scene
Once the model has been shown and the dialogue is under way, it is often the case that several spect-actors, one after another, want to break the same oppression. This means that the same scene will be shown several times. The only thing to be careful of is letting the show become monotonous. So, a word of advice: on each repetition the actors should accelerate the rhythm, so as to avoid showing exactly the same scene several times, or any more than necessary. Excessive repetition can diminish the audience’s interest, enthusiasm, and creativity.
13. Macrocosm and microcosm
It can happen that the solution desired or suggested by a spect-actor may be unachievable within the ‘microcosmic’ world of the model. To find the solution it is necessary to look elsewhere – i.e. invent new scenes. Scenes/locations that were not in the original model may be added to explore the intervention’s application within the macrocosm of the whole society. The whole of society can be involved and can enter into a Forum Theatre show, whatever the dimensions of the model.
14. How to replace a character without transforming it into another
A spect-actor can sometimes replace an actor and modify the character in such a way that the solution becomes completely magic. The spect-actor must respect the ‘givens’ of the problem. If the spect-actor replaces the actor and exactly follows the behavior of the character in the model, clearly he or she won’t greatly change anything in either the action or the course of events. However, it is equally clear that something must change. And individual is replacing another individual, a spect-actor is replacing a character, a human being is replacing another human being. Something changes. What can one change and what can one not change?
First: one cannot change the given social circumstances of the problem. Second: one cannot change the character’s motivation. What can be changed are the characteristics of the motivation: how to do what one has to do (which is where the problem resides).
15. What is a ‘good’ oppression?
It is not uncommon during the preparation of a forum to hear a group discussing what constitutes a good or bad oppression, which oppressions are important, which are minor. All oppressions are of equal importance to the people who are being subjected to them. Therefore, we should not prioritize different kinds of suffering. We should consult our audience and use all oppressions for the construction of Forum Theatre models, as long as these oppressions are real oppressions, experienced by the forum participants who have a genuine desire to free themselves.
16. Who can replace whom?
For a Forum Theatre showing to qualify as true Theatre of the Oppressed, only spect-actors who are victims of the same oppressions as the character (by identity or by analogy) can replace the oppressed protagonist to find new approaches or new forms of liberation. This attempt to find solutions does not only have a meaning in the context of the play; the spect-actors (who are as oppressed as the protagonist) will at the same time be training for self-defensive action in their real lives.
If the spect-actor who is not experiencing the same oppression wants to replace the oppressed protagonist, we manifestly fall into the theatre of advice: one person showing another what to do – the old evangelical theatre. Exception to the rule: if the spect-actor wants to play his/her ‘adversary’ in the forum to better understand, and empathize with, their adversary.
17. How should a ‘model’ be rehearsed?
(Summary below, see section on “Forum Theatre Model” for expanded version.)
a. Group chooses theme, or central idea, or subject matter. b. Each subgroup makes an image of the theme. c. Actors inside the image show the logical movement of that image. d. Small group decides upon a story they will play and improvise alone. e. Image of the things – everything on the stage speaks. f. The Kinetic Image – each actor shows, separately, the movements that their character makes in ‘real’ life. g. Group makes the image of the Chinese crisis. h. Actors inside the image speak the monologue of their desire. i. Image of the Desire in Action – actors show in slow motion their desires in action.
18. Can a forum change themes?
Yes, of course…if the need arises.
19. Can people remain ‘spectators’ in a Forum Theatre session?
No. In a Forum Theatre session no one can remain a ‘spectator’ in the negative sense of the word. It’s impossible. In Forum Theatre, all the spect-actors know that they can stop the show whenever they want. They know that they can shout ‘Stop!’ and voice their opinion in a democratic, theatrical, concrete way, on stage. Even if they stay on the sidelines, even if they watch from a distance, even if they choose to say nothing, that choice is already a form of participation. In order to say nothing, the spect-actor must decide to say nothing – which is already acting.
20. When does a session of Theatre of the Oppressed end?
Never – since the objective of Theatre of the Oppressed is not to close a cycle, to generate a catharsis, or to bring an end to a process in development. On the contrary, its objective is to encourage autonomous activity, to set a process in motion, to stimulate transformative creativity, to change spectators into protagonists. And it is for precisely these reasons that Theatre of the Oppressed should be the initiator of changes, the culmination of which is not the aesthetic phenomenon but real life.