Theatre of the Oppressed and its Times

Providing an in-depth account of the political and cultural context in which Theatre of the Oppressed emerged, this book asks: how do contemporary understandings of concepts like oppression, representation, participation, and emancipation shape Theatre of the Oppressed today?

Julian Boal is a teacher, researcher, and practitioner of Theatre of the Oppressed. He has facilitated workshops in more than 25 countries and is pedagogical coordinator of Escola de Teatro Popular.

Part 1: Criticizing a Critical Theatre 1. For a Political History of Theatre of the Oppressed 2. Theatre of the Oppressed as a Formal Critique of the Brazilian Communist Party 3. Theatre of the Oppressed and Epic Theatre: Notes on Two Attempts to Overcome the Bourgeois Drama 4. Critiques of Theatre of the Oppressed 5. Theatre of the Oppressed in Neoliberal Times: From Che Guevara to the Uber Driver 6. Notes on Oppression 7. Facilitation/Mechanization Part 2: Small Screws, Big Twists 8. What Can Art Do in the Anti-Capitalist Struggle? Part 3: Are There No Alternatives? 9. Examples but Not Models: Against Well-Made TO, and for Well-Adapted TO 10. The Search for a Subjunctive Theatre 11. Exercises for a More Dialectical Practice of Forum Theatre