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Augusto Boal

(Survey of his major works)

The Aesthetics of the Oppressed

Legislative Theatre: Using Performance to Make Politics.

Roots of the "Spect-actor"

  • He followed standard tradition allowing audience members at the end of the play to make suggestions.

Hamlet and the Baker's Son: My Life in Theatre and Politics.

Theater of the Oppressed

  • Born March 16th, 1931 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  • Had an interest in theater at an early age.
  • Formally trained as an engineer at Columbia University.
  • When he finished his degree he was asked to return to Brazil to work with the Arena Theater in Sao Paulo.
  • In 1973 in Argentina Boal develops his first major theater text The Theater of the Oppressed.
  • Contiuned to teach his revolutionary teachings of Theater, establising several centers for The Theater of the Oppressed.
  • 1981 organized the first International Festival of the Theater of the Oppressed in Paris.

While working in San Paulo for the Arena theatre , he transformed plays to fit the cultural society of brazil. Working on plays like John steinbeck's of Mice and Men. As a new director of the arena theatre they were facing bankruptcy.

Arrested and Exiled

  • Boal drew unwanted attention from the authorities because of his work,and was being refereed as a "cultural activist".
  • During this time in the 1960s the Brazilian Military was very dangerous.
  • Boal is arrested,tortured, and exiled to Argentina. He later moves to Europe.

(contextualization)

Boal then suggested the creation of a Seminar in Dramaturgy at the Arena Theatre. Many new productions were made through the creation of the seminar. . He established a major Center for the Theatre of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro. Their objective was to discuss the problems with systematic oppression in Brazil

Augusto Boal’s Theatre of Oppression could relate to the theatre movement of Neoclassical Ideals we talked about in Renaissance & Early Modern Theatre.

You could say that The theatre of the oppressed really relates when it comes to “true to life” because it’s based on dealing with everyday oppression in our lives through different techniques where people learn to fight against their oppression which could be compared to their evil they have to beat.

More specifically Vesimilitude in Neoclassical theatre speaks of truth or “true to life” meaning it takes has to take place here in our world/reality, it must teach morals

Emphasis on Interactive/ Invisible Theatre

  • "Invisible Theatre":

public space is reconstructed into a political stage

Impact of Forum Theatre/ Legislative Theatre

  • key is that the people are oblivious to the fact that a demonstration is being acted out
  • Boal used this method to implement Legislative Theatre
  • Examples: Jokers team, legislative members, CTO, street performances, etc

1992 election of City Councilor

Forum Theatre

  • Boal was elected vereador (city councilor) of Rio de Janeiro
  • Plays used as a workshop or open discussion for teaching people practical solutions

  • Displays problematic situations
  • Wanted people to believe that dialogue was the most regular and invigorating dynamic between humans
  • "Spect-actor":

Forum Theater demonstration

participators who have the opportunity to both observe and act during the performance

  • Combined passion for theater and new role as an influential political figure to create legislative theater
  • "Joker":

main role is to break the fourth wall with the outset; might warm audience up with a game

  • End results were some 13 new laws passed; leaflets handed out to public
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