The Theatre of the Oppressed for beginners

This book examines dramatist Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed and the broader framework within which it operates. The focus lies on the semiotic aspects of theatre, where numerous elements tend to adhere to certain codes and conventions. When viewing theatre as a language, these conventions can be subverted to convey particular statements. Boal's work draws from the Marxist drama of Bertolt Brecht (including the crucial concept of 'dialectics'), as well as Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

Boal conceives of oppression as the absence of dialogue, and his aesthetic language was developed in the context of a military coup in his native Brazil. At that time, one challenge was to provide people with a system of symbols through which to bridge written and spoken languages. Boal also formulated the concept of the 'spect-actor'. Some have claimed that the method has since become dogmatic, but Boal is certainly not an icon of oppression.

Many theatre companies specialise in addressing specific societal issues that can lead to isolation and social apartheid, supported by policies and funding bodies that seek greater social cohesion. Augusto Boal's theatre offers a universal language that challenges the discourses of domination and provides a democratic arena in which to question and transform the status quo. This is the essence of the Theatre of the Oppressed: Rehearse it. Play it. See it. Change it. Augusto Boal's theatre encourages a social revolution that begins onstage.