Augusto Boal
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Augusto Boal (born 1931 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is an innovative and influential theatrical director, writer and politician. He is the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed (T.O.), a political theatrical form originally used in radical popular education movements, growing up alongside Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Boal was elected as a Vereador (Brazilian equivalent of city council seat in US politics) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 but he was not re-elected in 1996. He received a Ph. D. in Chemical engineering from Columbia University in the 1950s.
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[edit] Career
Boal took an interest in theatre at an early age, but did not become involved himself until he received his degree. Shortly after graduating from university, Boal was asked to work with the Arena Theatre in São Paulo, southeast Brazil. It was here that he began to experiment with new forms of theatre that would totally change its future.
Boal’s teachings caused a lot of controversy, and he was labeled a cultural activist — which the 1960s Brazilian military coups saw as a threat. In 1971, Boal was arrested, tortured, and eventually exiled to Argentina, where he published his first book "Theatre of the Oppressed" in 1973, later fleeing to Europe. Eventually Boal lived in Paris, teaching his revolutionary approach to theatre for twelve years, and creating several Centers for the Theatre of Oppressed. In 1981, he organized the first ever International Festival of the Theatre of Oppressed in Paris.
After the end of Brazil’s military junta, Boal returned to Rio de Janeiro where he still lives today. He has since established a major Centre for the Theatre of the Oppressed in Rio (CTO Rio), and has started over a dozen theatre companies that work to develop community-based projects.
Paulo Freire was a major influence on Boal’s teachings. He and Freire became so close in later years, that when Freire died, Boal is reported to have said:
- I am very sad. I have lost my last father. Now all I have are brothers and sisters.
[edit] Teachings and literature
Among a number of publications, the three most Major works of Literature by Augusto Boal are:
- Theatre of the Oppressed (published in UK 1979, Pluto Press)
- Games for Actors and Non-Actors (1992, Routledge) Translated into English by Adrian Jackson
- The Rainbow of Desire (1995, Routledge) Translated into English by Adrian Jackson
Most of Augusto Boal’s techniques were created after he realised the limitations of didactic politically motivated theatre in poor areas he was practising in. He found that his attempts to inspire the people living in poor or 'slum' areas to rise up against racial and class inequality was inhibited by his own racial and class background (himself being white and comparatively financially comfortable). Therefore he created techniques which allowed the idea of rebellion and the impetus for change to come from within the target group. Much of his early work and teaching was inspired by a Marxist philosophy, although through his career he has not been restricted by this and much of his work now falls within the boundaries of a centre left ideology.
[edit] Theatre of the Oppressed
This is probably Augusto Boal's most academically influential work in which the reader follows Boal’s detailed analysis of the Poetics of Aristotle and the early history of western theatre. It is argued that the Aristotelian ethic is a means of oppressing the masses, the people, the workers and the spectators in favour of stability and continued dominance of a privileged few. He argues that via the use of Tragi-drama, a formulaic drama style which today could be considered similar to that of soap operas, the State promotes its continued existence. Therefore oppressive states, such as the Brazilian government of the time, from Boal's perspective, use theatre to propagate their oppressive system. He then lays down his early theories and practices in an attempt to reverse this dominant paradigm.
[edit] Games For Actors and Non-Actors (second edition 2002)
This is probably Augusto Boal's most practically influential book in which he sets down a brief explanation of his theories, mostly through stories and examples of his work in Europe, and then explains every drama exercise that he has found useful in his practice. In many ways it is everything that 'Theatre of the Oppressed' is not: it contains little academic theory, instead relying upon practical example. Therefore drama practitioners have found this to be a particularly useful reference book whether or not they are practicing theatre that is related to Boal's academic or political ideas. It is arguably the best collection of drama exercises/games (Boal himself refers to many of these as 'gamesercises', as they combine the training and 'introversion' of exercises with the fun and 'extroversion of games') currently in circulation and has been largely influential in the development of Community Theatre and Theatre in Education (T.I.E.) practices in Europe, South America and worldwide.
[edit] The Rainbow of Desire
Also known as The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy, this book re-evaluates the practices commonly associated with the Theatre of the Oppressed for a new purpose. It has been argued that Boal contradicts himself with this take on his work as it mostly concerns itself with creating harmony within society when his early work was concerned with rebellion and upheaval. However, Boal's works can be seen as a progression and exploration of a Left Wing world view rather than a unified theory. Therefore, in the context of those under-represented in a society, his methodology can be used as a weapon against oppressors. In the context of those in a society who are in need of catharsis for the sake of their own integration into it, it can be switched round to empower that individual to break down internal oppressions that separate that individual from society. The theories have been useful in the pioneering field of drama therapy and have been applied by drama practitioners.
[edit] Key terms and practices
[edit] Forum Theatre
While practicing in China earlier in his career, Boal would apply 'simultaneous dramaturgy'. In this process the actors or audience members could stop a performance, often a short scene in which a character was being oppressed in some way (for example, a typically chauvinist man mistreating a woman or a factory owner mistreating an employee). The audience would suggest different actions for the actors to carry out on-stage in an attempt to change the outcome of what they were seeing. This was an attempt to undo the traditional audience/actor partition and bring audience members into the performance, to have an input into the dramatic action they were watching.
Forum Theatre was born from 'simultaneous dramaturgy' when, according to Boal, by chance a (female) audience member who was so frustrated that the actor did not understand her directions, took their place. This undid the audience/actor split and a new form of political theatre was created. He discovered that through this active participation the audience-actors, 'spect-actors', become empowered. This concept of the 'spect-actor' became a dominant force within Boal's later Forum Theatre work. The audience were now encouraged to not only imagine change but to actually practise that change, reflect collectively on the suggestion, and thereby become empowered to generate social action.
Thus, Boal's current manifestation of Forum Theatre is as follows: the actors (be they professional or drawn from oppressed communities) perform a play with a scripted core, in which an oppression relevant to the audience is played out. After reaching the scripted conclusion, in which the oppressed character(s) fail to overturn their oppression, the actors begin the production again, although often in a condensed form. At any point during this second performance, any spect-actor may call out "stop!" and take the place of the actor portraying the oppressed individual (this actor stays on stage but to the side, giving suggestions to the spect-actor who has replaced him/her).
The spect-actor then attempts to overturn the oppression using some method unused by the actors, whilst the actors portraying the oppressors improvise to attempt to bring the production to its original, scripted ending. If the audience believes that the spect-actor's actions are too unrealistic to be utilized in reality, they may call out "magic!", and the spect-actor must modify their actions accordingly. If this spect-actor fails in overthrowing the oppression, the actor resumes his/her character, and continues the production until another spect-actor calls out "stop!" and attempts a different method.
If and when the oppression has been overthrown by the spect-actors, the production changes again: the spect-actors now have the opportunity to replace the oppressors, and find new ways of challenging the oppressed character. In this way a more realistic depiction of the oppression can be made by the audience, who are often victims of the oppression. The whole process is designed to be dialectic, coming to a conclusion through the consideration of opposing arguments, rather than didactic, in which the moral argument is one-sided and pushed from the actors with no chance of reply or counter-argument.
[edit] Invisible Theatre
This is a previously rehearsed play that is performed in a public space without anyone knowing that it is a play. It will address a precise theme concerning social injustice, for example sexism, racism or ageism. It is intended to provoke debate and to clarify the problem among the people whom experience it.
The actors involved will work to a scripted core, but improvisation is necessary as the whole purpose of the theatre is to get the community involved in discussing the issue being performed. Often the actors will not just consist of the oppressors and the oppressed, but also those pretending to be passers-by who voice strong (and contrasting) opinions on the subject, as a means of encouraging the 'real' passers-by to do the same.
The logistics of Invisible theatre involve both the antagonist and victim of a social injustice being played out by actors in a public space. Therefore those practicing Invisible Theatre are often seen as Activists and it is not uncommon for them to come into conflict with the authorities and/or police. However, it should never be violent, as its aim is to reveal the violence that exists in society, not to reproduce it.
[edit] Image Theatre
A form of theatre that begins with movement to achieve a static result. Participants are asked to sculpt the bodies of themselves and/or others into representations of a particular situation, emotion, or idea on their own, and then move into a group and re-form the images they have created to form a picture or 'image'. Boal's philosophy behind this form of theatre is that the body is the first and primary method of expression, and by using the body rather than speech, the normal 'blockades' and 'filters' of thought can be bypassed. Boal encourages the participants to immediately create an image rather than think about it, as thought would defeat the purpose of expressing raw, unrefined perceptions on an idea or issue. Generally, this form of theatre is also used to express oppressions.
Image theatre is also dialectic, as those who view the image created are also able to 'mold' and 'sculpt' the bodies of the participants to more accurately portray their opinions on the issue. This process is repeated until a general consensus is found, in which all are content that the image is an accurate representation.
In keeping with Boal's philosophy of theatre for empowerment, images may also be created of the 'ideal image', in which the oppression is overthrown. This is followed by an 'image of transition', a medium between the reality of the oppression and the ideal image, which again hopefully offers some insight into a manner of overthrowing the oppression in reality.
The images may often also be dynamised: that is, the image is altered and changed to express different facets of the issue. This is done in three ways:
- First dynamisation: the participants move back to form the image, but simultaneously rather than separately. In this way, they are aware of each other, and of the image as a whole, rather than their own, individual pose.
- Second dynamisation: the participants alter their images slightly so that they interrelate with the other people on the stage. Their poses must relate to each other, in such a way that creates, rather than many individual perspectives, a single perspective that encompasses all views.
- Third dynamisation: The participants transform themselves from depicting the oppressed to posing as the oppressors. As participants are often victims of oppression, this vision is highly subjective, yet gives real insight into the attitudes of the participants.
[edit] Newspaper Theatre
A system of eleven techniques which give the audience the means of production rather than the finished artistic product. They are devised to help anyone to make a theatrical scene using a piece of news from a newspaper, or from any other written material.
[edit] Legislative Theatre
As part of Boal's role as Vereador, he created the new form of theatre called legislative theatre to give his electors the opportunity to voice their opinions. The concept is similar to forum theatre; however, the subject of the production is based around a proposed law to be passed. Spect-actors may take the stage and express their opinion, and thus help with the creation of new laws. Some 20 laws were created through legislative theatre during Boal's time in government. Additionally, the technique has been used overseas in countries including Canada and the United Kingdom.
[edit] Joker/Facilitator
Much of Augusto Boal’s theatrical process requires a neutral party to be at the centre of proceedings, in most cases, but not all, this would be a Drama workshop leader. This person must never comment upon or intervene in what they are seeing, as this is the sole responsibility of the Spect-actor. This person merely takes responsibility for the logistical running of the process and ensures a fair proceeding.
In Western practice the name of this individual is usually the Facilitator, although in Boal’s literature this role is referred to as the Joker. This is in reference to the neutrality of the Joker card in a deck of playing cards.
[edit] Spect-actor
This is a term created by Augusto Boal to describe those engaged in Forum Theater. It refers to the dual role of those involved in the process as both being spectator and actor, as they both observe and create dramatic meaning and action in any performance.
Equally, the term 'spect-actor' can be attributed to the participants in invisible theatre (who are unaware that they are part of a theatrical production, but nevertheless contribute to the discussion) and image theatre (who, upon viewing the image created, may alter it to reflect their own ideas).
[edit] Recognition
In 1994, Boal won the UNESCO Pablo Picasso Medal, and in August 1997 he was awarded the 'Career Achievement Award' by the Association of Theatre in Higher Education at their national conference in Chicago, Illinois, where he conducted a five-hour workshop for conference attendees as well as collecting the award. Boal went on a first major tour of the US in February and March, 1999, traveling to various universities and colleges, many of which now have student T.O. companies working regularly on Boal’s techniques.
