One thing that stuck out to me from this week's reading and videos was Theatre of the Oppressed and the various practices actors do to deepen roles. Specifically was the game where a group expresses an animal and looks for their mate. How each person’s idea of how their animal would be expressed or acted out is different, especially with no sound. Then later in the paragraph how the portrayal of occupations varies given the position of that actor and how that can reveal one's opinions. I connected this to forum theater and how in both the participant's inner opinions and criticism are revealed. Forum theatre allows the audience to engage and not just be a spectator. They have to focus on each solution and whether they agree or not. This in return is a practice/challenge for the actor, they have to improvise but also place the spectator and actor on the same, equal level. It attaches to one's power to choose material for inquiry and frame, shape, script, and perform stories of oppression in their own lives and communities, similar to the focus of the National Theatre idea. I also liked the quote, “Maybe the theatre in itself is not revolutionary, but these theatrical forms are without a doubt a rehearsal of revolution.” (119)
I chose this example of forum theatre. Here there is a group of people in NYC focusing on housing issues. This included being denied housing, displacement and gentrification, and being neglected by housing superintendents and landlords. Some solutions were threatening to sue the landlord, making rental payments, and calling HASA for advice. Using their shared experience, they performed their oppression to brainstorm solutions.
Bella, I really like the example you include here. Using Theatre of the Oppressed techniques to help people "rehearse" for standing up for themselves is one of its most important and central components--and housing is an issue that touches [almost] all of us.
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