Theater of the Oppressed Workshop
(This event has passed)

Theme:
Format:
Date:
Aug 8, 2015 1:00–8:00pm
Organized by: Cairo Contemporary Dance Center, CCDC
Venue: Cairo Contemporary Dance Center, CCDC
Address: 1 Midan Moussa Galal, off Hijaz St., Mohandessin, 2nd floor. Apt.3
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/111941189151365/


Theatre as a Tool For Change:
Theatre of the Oppressed/ Forum Theatre: Discussing Themes and Situations.

This ‘workshop’ seeks to start conversation around themes that concern us everyday, situations in which we face oppression, be it personal, social, political, economic or psychological. Through the language of theatre, the essential language that we speak everyday, we will re-enact moments of oppression based on personal stories or on fiction (inspired by reality). We will create a forum through which we will try to understand and overcome these situations.

Theatre of the Oppressed is a set of techniques developed by Brazilian director Augusto Boal in the 60’s and 70’s to allow for a rehearsal of life and transformation of conflicts. Through the use of ‘Image Theatre’, participants create small scenes portraying specific conflicts, and then audience members are invited to take the stage and propose alternative developments to the situation in what is known as ‘Forum Theatre’.

Aiming for a Safe Space: A safe space is a space where people can share personal stories, because the whole group shares a responsibility of preserving the integrity, confidentiality, and emotional safety of these stories. This implies that we listen to each other’s stories’ completely, without judging them (or keeping our judgments to ourselves), or giving unwelcome comments or advice. We want to use those stories as artistic material, for self-reflection, empowerment, which also means that we can collectively transform those stories, either in the creation or the displaying process.

The day will be divided into three parts:

1) Games for actors and non-actors to get us to know and be comfortable with each other.

2) Image Theatre: We will sculpt our own and each other’s bodies to create images depicting thoughts, feelings, or situations.

3) Forum Theatre: Based on the previous image work or on new images, we will create short scenes based on personal stories of conflict or relating to a theme chosen by the group.

Sherif Seif El Nasr has long been interested in Theatre of the Oppressed; he has attended many training workshops in Cairo and Paris, as well as acting workshops in Cairo and was involved in several theatre projects. His main interest remains to apply TO techniques to themes and with communities in Egypt. This is an experimental workshop. It is free and open to 15-20 participants who must commit to a whole day and stay the whole time from 2-9 pm. 

No previous acting experience is required. A desire to share stories and express is encouraged. Based on the result of the day, the group may want to prolong the work for some more time, we can discuss this possibility among the participants and the center.

please fill in the information sheet and send it to us via e-mail: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4626CGiLz8tWHo0OUpVOWlEX1U/view?usp=sharing

Please bring comfortable costume for training and moving

*this workshop is free of charge