Tools
Forum Theatre
A forum theatre is a kind of role-play where a part of the group creates a current problem. The audience interacts in the play by changing the actors in order to try different solutions. The purpose is to inspire each other to find different openings in conflict situations, and to gain some practice for similar situations in the future.
A forum theatre gives the participants a possibility to get prepared for conflict situations concerning choices in life.
At a forum theatre a situation with an obvious conflict is acted before an audience. The play can take 5-10 minutes, and the scene will always end in misery, meaning that there are no suggestions of solutions to the conflict.
After the scene has been acted the audience will get the chance to actively try to change the situation. They will try to find solutions of the conflict by saying “Stop” and then enter the stage and take the role of the actor. Alternatively you say “Stop” and explain what you want the actor to do. The scene will be played several times.
IMPORTANT: You are not allowed to change the oppressor (tyrant).
When you work with a forum theatre you should always have a theme to work with. The theme could be whatever you like, but in the play the question about power, exercised and received, will be essential.
Different aims of Forum Theatre:
- To change a participant from a passive receiver to an active co-creator
- To give a person the possibility to practise for the real world and be prepared for the future
- To break inner and outer oppression
The expected learning outcome for youth workers:
-self-confidence: capability of presenting ideas to others effectively.
-Experiment with ideas : to engage in new techniques for creative thinking, to devise new ideas from stimulus and experiment with ideas in different ways.
- Explain the creative process: to clearly identify the creative challenge, to develop ideas for conclusion.
-Working with others: to support the team
-Motivation: to encourage others.
The expected learning outcome for youth:
Self confidence: to believe in oneself, capability to present ideas to others effectively,
Positive thinking: to have understood the importance of positive thinking and positive language,
Adaptability: to adapt easily when things change, see new opportunities in change, enjoy and relish change.
Risk taking: to be open to try new things, develop intuition and “gut feeling”
Personal responsibility: to understand that actions have consequences.
Resumé of exercise
The aim of the “Forum theatre” is to inspire the participants to find different openings in conflict situations in the project organisation, and to gain some practice for similar situations in the future.
"Developed with the support of the European Community, within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci Programme. The opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Community, nor does it involve any responsibility on its part."