"This work is an attempt to use theatre in a political context to create a truer form of democracy - a method to engage the populace. At the heart of Boal's method of Forum Theatre - which is already used in diverse contexts - is the dual meaning of the verb "to act": to perform and take action. In
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'Legislative Theatre' he takes one stage further his concept of the "spect-actor" - the spectator who intervenes in an unresolved scenario on stage and attempts to break a depicted cycle of oppression. As a politician in his native Rio de Janeiro, Boal demonstrated that his ideas of mixing theatre and politics could generate needed legislation and social change. This amazing work includes full explanation of the development and principles of legislative theatre and a description of the process in operation in Rio. Also included are essays, speeches, and lectures on Popular Theatre, Paulo Freire, cultural activism, and the point of playwriting that Boal has written since his involvement with Brazilian Parliament." (Intermediate Technology Bookshop 2000 catalogue)
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"Making People's Theatre is a practical and accessible guide to the theatre process from forming a group through choosing a script, directing, lighting and set design to performance and touring. As a fascintaing supplement to the general guide, Kavanagh uses the text of an existing play to offer spe
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cific examples of the steps in the play-making process. Robert Kavangah (McLaren), who lectures in the drama department of the University of Zimbabwe, has a long history of practical involvement in popular theatre in South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. In addition to the general guide, McLaren uses the text of an existing play to offer more specific examples of the techniques and skills required in the making of popular theatre." (Publisher description)
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"This is a booklet with expenences of drama and theatre practices in Western Kenya. Practices that have in common that they were — in one way or another— aiming at development at a “grassroots” level. Something else they have in common is that these expenences are only known by a limited num
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ber of people. Performers are mostly concerned about the now-and-how and not so much about recording their expenences [...] The overall aim of this booklet is to expose the potential of drama/theatre as a learning rnedium, a working rnethod and a cornmurncation tool. This could inform grassroots NGOs, educationalists, drama teachers, theatre workers, animators, youth groups, community leaders, development organizations and policy makers." (Introduction, page 5)
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"Mass media campaigns can be effective at communicating health information to a mass audience rather inexpensively. Critics of mass media health campaigns often contend, however, that interpersonal communication is more effective at changing behavior. Conversely, interpersonal communication activiti
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es to promote health can be effective at changing behavior, but critics have argued that they have certain limitations such as being expensive and personal (perhaps intrusive), and that they provide nonstandardized information. The present study is an evaluation of a street theater format in Peru that combined the advantages of mass and interpersonal communication to improve family planning knowledge and attitudes. The street theater was effective in decreasing misinformation concerning modern contraceptive methods." (Abstract)
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"Based on Mda's experience in Southern Africa, the book shows how drama and theatre can be used effectively in social development. Mda argues, that communication should be democratized, that it should increase participation and promote equity and self-reliance. If theatre is to play a role in the de
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velopment concerns faced by communities, a carefully thought-out method of combining intervention and participation is needed to provide a genuine two-way communication to revitalize cultural expression." (Mothers & Children, 2/1994, page 8)
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"Comprehensive study of popular theater forms. Describes experiences of theater workshops in Cameroon and Zimbabwe, as well as development-oriented theater projects in Nicaragua, India Philippines, and Bangladesh. The main section examines four dance-based projects between 1982 and 1986 in which the
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author was involved as an "animator." "For anyone seeking an overview of the subject, Mlama's study is a valuable resource. Despite her personal involvement, she treats the subject in a detached manner and frequently refers to failures and problems as well." (E + Z, vol. 37, nr. 1, 1996, page 25)
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