Augusto Boal
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Augusto Boal (born April 16, 1931 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a theatre director, writer and politician. He is the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed, a theatrical form originally used in radical popular education movements. Boal served one term as a Vereador (the Brazilian equivalent of city council seat in US politics) in Rio de Janeiro from 1992 to 1996, where he developed legislative theatre[1]. Boal was recently nominated for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize[2].
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early Life
Boal took an interest in theatre at an early age, but did not become involved until he received his degree. Shortly after graduating from university, Boal was asked to work with the Arena Theatre in São Paulo, southeast Brazil. It was here that he began to experiment with new forms of theatre.
[edit] Exile
Boal’s teachings were controversial, and as a cultural activist he was seen as a threat by the Brazilian military regime. In 1971 Boal was arrested and tortured. He was eventually exiled to Argentina, where in 1973 he published his first book "Theatre of the Oppressed". He later fled to Europe, and eventually lived in Paris. There he taught his revolutionary approach to theatre for 12 years, creating several Centers for the Theatre of Oppressed, and in 1981, organizing the first International Festival for the Theatre of Oppressed.
After the fall of Brazil’s military dictatorship, Boal returned to Rio de Janeiro where he lives to this day. He has since established a major Center for the Theater of the Oppressed in Rio (CTO Rio), and has started over a dozen theater companies that work to develop community-based projects.
[edit] Influences
Most of Augusto Boal’s techniques were created after he realized the limitations of didactic politically motivated theatre in the poor areas where he worked. He found that his attempts to inspire the people living in poor or 'slum' areas to rise up against racial and class inequality were inhibited by his own racial and class background, since he was white and comparatively financially comfortable. His new techniques allowed the idea of rebellion and the impetus for change to come from within the target group. Much of his early work and teaching was inspired by a Marxism philosophy, although through his career he has not been restricted by this and much of his work now falls within the boundaries of a centre left ideology.
Paulo Freire was a major influence on Boal’s teachings. He and Freire became close in later years. When Freire died, Boal said "I am very sad. I have lost my last father. Now all I have are brothers and sisters".[3]
[edit] Works
[edit] Theatre of the Oppressed
This is probably Augusto Boal's most academically influential work, in which the reader follows Boal’s detailed analysis of the Poetics of Aristotle and the early history of Western theatre. Boal contends that the Aristotelian ethic is a means of oppressing the masses, the people, the workers and the spectators in favour of stability and the continued dominance of a privileged few. He argues that the Tragi-drama, a formulaic drama style which today could be considered similar to that of soap operas, helps the State promote its continued existence. He sees the Brazilian government as an example of an oppressive state using theatre to propagate its oppressive system. He then outlines his early theories and practices for attempting to reverse the paradigm.
[edit] Games For Actors and Non-Actors (second edition 2002)
This is probably Augusto Boal's most practically influential book, in which he sets down a brief explanation of his theories, mostly through stories and examples of his work in Europe, and then explains every drama exercise that he has found useful in his practice. In contrast to 'Theatre of the Oppressed', it contains little academic theory and many practical examples for drama practitioners to use even if not practicing theatre that is related to Boal's academic or political ideas. Boal refers to many of these as 'gamesercises', as they combine the training and 'introversion' of exercises with the fun and 'extroversion' of games. It has been influential in the development of Community Theatre and Theatre in Education (T.I.E.) practices worldwide, especially in Europe and South America. These games include Carnival in Rio and your friend is dead.
[edit] The Rainbow of Desire: The Boal Method of Theatre and Therapy
This book re-evaluates the practices commonly associated with the Theatre of the Oppressed for a new purpose. It has been argued that Boal contradicts himself with this take on his work Fact|date=May 2008}, as it mostly concerns itself with creating harmony within society, whereas his early work was concerned with rebellion and upheaval. However, Boal's works can be seen as a progression and exploration of a Left Wing world view rather than a unified theory. In the context of those under-represented in a society, his methodology can be used as a weapon against oppressors. In the context of those in a society who are in need of catharsis for the sake of their own integration into it, it can be switched round to empower that individual to break down internal oppressions that separate that individual from society. The theories have been useful in the pioneering field of drama therapy and have been applied by drama practitioners.
[edit] Recognition
In 1994, Boal won the UNESCO Pablo Picasso Medal, and in August 1997 he was awarded the 'Career Achievement Award' by the Association of Theatre in Higher Education at their national conference in Chicago, Illinois. Boal is also seen as the inspiration behind 21st Century forms of performance-activism, such as the "Optative Theatrical Laboratories".
Boal received The Cross Border Award for Peace and Democracy by Dundalk Institute of Technology in April 2008.
[edit] Quotes
"Oppression is a relationship in which there is only monologue. Not dialogue."
"While some people make theater, we all are theater."
