Tree of the Theatre of the Oppressed

Learn more of the each theatres by clicking the respective buttons below:

Game Playing

Game Playing is the core and the most important part of the Theatre of the Oppressed. As the name suggests, this part of the Theatre of the Oppressed allows participants to join games that are extensively and expertly made, which it allows the participants to stretch their limits of imagination. They will also understand and analyse societal structures of power and oppression. Therefore, these games are also fun and enjoyable for the participants. 
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Image Theatre

In Image Theatre, audiences or participants investigates and explores the issues of oppression by using non-verbal expression, such as using their's and other participant's bodies to create and demonstrate images that can express their feelings, thoughts, issues or moments. Therefore, each participant will have its own interpiation on the same issue that was brought into mind. 
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Forum Theatre

In Forum Theatre, audiences or spectators transforms into a spect-actor by the performance. As a spect-actor, they are engaged to stop and take over the stage that presents an issue of oppression, and attempts to change to outcome from the situation. Boal claims that the objective of the forum theatre is not just to alter the outcomes or show the correct path of a situation of oppression, but to investigate all possible paths that the same situation can lead to. Therefore, this theatre allowed participants to practice before when the met the same situation in real-life, as it will allow them to have more prior preparation and understanding.
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Invisible Theatre

The Invisible Theatre is an unexpected one, where the theatre can take place anywhere, such  as on the street, or in a shopping centre. Therefore, the performers attempts to disguise that it is a performance from those who observe and willing to participate in it. Therefore, it encourages the audience to view it as if it was real.
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Newspaper Theatre

In Newspaper Theatre, participants are giving daily news articles or non-dramatic pieces and are to transform them into theatrical scenes. These strategies are the followings:
  • Simple Reading: News item read, detached from the context of the newspaper (which makes it false or controversial).
  • Crossed Reading: Two news item are read in alternating form, complementing or contrasting each other in a new dimension.
  • Complementary Reading: Information generally omitted by the ruling class are added to the news.
  • Rhythmical Reading: Article is read to a rhythm (musical), so it acts as a critical "filter" of the news, revealing the true content initially concealed in the newspaper.
  • Parallel Action: Actors mimic the actions as the news is being read. One hears the news and watches its visual complement.
  • Improvisation: News is improvised on stage to exploit all its variants and possibilities.
  • Historical: Data recurred from historical moments, events in other countries, or in social systems are added to the news.
  • Reinforcement: Article is read accompanied by songs, slides, or publicity materials.
  • Concretion of the Abstract: Abstract content in news is made concrete on stage, i.e. hunger, unemployment, etc.
  • Text out of Context: News is presented out of context in which it was originally published.
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Rainbow of Desire

In the Rainbow of Desire, participants uses techniques from the Forum and Image Theatres, to investigate oppression. These set of techniques requires the participants to explore how external oppressions can cause us to oppress ourselves. This will help us to identify larger social issues, and identify opportunities and actions for change.
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Legislative Theatre

The Legislative Theatre is an extension to the Forum Theatre. In Legislative Theatre, participants will use the techniques and functions from the Forum Theatre to determine, create and enact laws for the needs. Therefore, the objective of this theatre is to build  awareness and socio-political impact to the public on to the issue.

Therefore, he'd also opened up a dialogue between himself and the citizens when he is a councilman in Rio de Janeiro, so that there is a flow of power within the groups through the Legislative Theatre.
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