The “Joker” is the facilitator responsible for the Forum Theatre process. The person in this role leads participants as the play evolves, becoming the liaison between community “spect–actors” and the characters on stage.
This four-evening workshop, led by award winning Forum Theatre artist Simon Malbogat and Theatre of the Oppressed facilitator Swetha Ranganathan will delve further into this role of the Joker in Forum Theatre presentations, teaching participants how to:
- Develop a Forum Theatre scenario from a universal story of oppression
- Guide audiences in their transformation from spectator to “spect-actors”
- Create a safe space for both performers and audiences while also expecting vulnerability
- Ask questions to elicit audience intervention
While the objectives and learning are directed towards virtual community engagement; key principles and techniques can also be applied to in-person delivery.
Prerequisites: Due to the content being taught in the workshop, participants are required to have a working knowledge of Forum Theatre creation (from taking one of our introductory workshops, or from your own experience creating Forum Theatre with communities)