Theater of the Oppressed Ariyan Kassam

Augusto Boal brings the audience into the spotlight and creates a platform for them to engage freely in the discussion and dialogue as well as contribute to the event. It adds the spectator as a player in the game. Seeing the process of creating theater as a language in which one should be literate in is fundamental as an artist. Especially one trying to dissect an issue, the process or development of the piece is seen as the language of telling the story. Thus not being in any way passive but rather through inviting the audience in on the story, we place a responsibility on them to come forward and engage in the work. They are being asked to continue the dialogue or story in the moment as we perceive it. I do wonder if giving so much freedom and responsibility to the audience can sometimes backfire when a discussion turns into an argument or when it deters from the story? How is this dealt with?

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Mind Map

What a Riot - Bri Pattillo

I like the Theater of the Oppressed methodology of the Joker. It sort of reminded me of El Pachuco in “Zoot Suit”, like this narrator commenting on all the action. I thought the Joker methodology was a good way to introduce a Theater of the Oppressed tactic into the piece. A lot of the Theater of the Oppressed options that we read about last week have an element of questioning within in them, but I think the Joker was a good one to use with young people. It was nice and cool that she was able to include the students’ actual questions into the play. I did think her approach was rather problematic. She highlighted the problem herself and posed the question, “To whom and to what is the author beholden when writing a play for a specified population that has been invited to contribute to the playwriting process?” My problem was her answer, when she said that the students didn’t understand all of the references or language in the play. I don’t...

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