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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Second Evaluation:

One thing that you learned/ surprised you about facilitation:

One thing I realized when presenting our final workshop was how much of a difference it made to work with the actual age group for whom our workshop was designed for. It was very difficult to rehearse a workshop with participants who exceeded the age group that the workshop was designed for by at least a decade. Although we informed our temporary participants at the start of rehearsals that they must act as if they were eight to nine years old, with such a big age difference participants would naturally forget themselves on a regular basis and slip into the mannerisms and verbal capacities that was natural for their own age group, which was of course very different from how the speech and mannerisms of our actual participants would be.

We were already well aware that the age group that we rehearsed with (age nineteen to twenty-one) were at a point in their lives in which they are conditioned to behave in a far reserved and cautious manner, whereas the much younger age group that we would present our final workshop to would be far more outgoing and more confident to speak out to provide us with individual contributions.

Though despite having predetermined this beforehand, I was still surprised at the difference this made to the energy levels of the workshop when it was presented to the age group that it was actually suited to and tailored for.

Because we had become so accustomed to presenting our workshop to an age group that far exceeded the age range it was designed for, the behavioral differences and higher level of energy took us a little off guard. Because of this, we were forced to make alterations to the workshop while it was happening in order to tailor it to suit the energy of the room, as the participants were more confident and willing to contribute. While this was brilliant for the keeping the workshop engaging as the energy levels in the room were very positive and at a constant high, it also meant exercises took longer than we predicted due to the eagerness of the participants to make their own individual contributions, forcing us to digress from our initial workshop plan.

However, from the point of view of a facilitator, I feel this was an important learning curb that demonstrated how beneficial it would be to rehearse your workshop with a group that matches the criteria of your target audience as much as possible. And if you can’t find a group that at least partially fits the criteria, it is crucial to remember not to underestimate or overestimate the energy levels and behavioral traits of your intended audience. A facilitator must always think about the dynamic of the group with whom they will be working and be prepared for any unexpected challenges that may arise throughout.

One thing particularly enjoyed:

One thing that I found enjoyable about facilitation was watching seeing successful aspects of the workshop and watching the participants benefit from them. It was very uplifting to play a role in helping to provides the participants with the tools for their discovery and of expressing themselves in new ways, as well as witnessing their great enthusiasm towards their exploration while doing so.

In the lead up to the workshop I was concerned about how willing the participants would be, not knowing how well I would be able to encourage an unwilling or rebellious participant to engage productively in the workshop and to follow the ground rules that we had put together for the space

However, I was pleasantly surprised by how willing and eager all the participants were. They were all full of enthusiasm and excited to make their own individual contributions. Though despite their high energy levels, the participants were also very respectful of both the facilitators and of one another. They all waited their turn to have their chance to speak and if one of the participants got carried away, all we needed to do was remind them of the ground rules of the space or recover their focus by using the ‘pop-up’ chant.

The positivity and productive atmosphere, along with the effort and enthusiasm from the participants created a safe space in which everyone could work efficiently and was free to explore, which made what was initially a nerve wracking task into a fulfilling and uplifting experience.

One thing you found difficult:

As we had to alter our workshop whilst in the process of presenting it, we had to discuss as a group what was most important for the learning process of the participants and what could be erased in order to make the workshop fit into the given time slot. However, we had to do this as discretely as possible so as not to distract the participants from their work, or make them feel as if we were discussing things without without them, as we felt it was very important that we maintain common ground with the participants and that they saw us as part of the group, as opposed to merely being their ‘leaders’.

Though because we had to be subtle, there were times when communication was an issue and could sometimes be misinterpreted. An example of this would be an instance in which we intended to cut the ‘bomb and shield’ exercise, though this communication was whispered very discretely and was misheard by the facilitator, causing them to instead jump straight into the exercise as opposed to skipping it, and doing so nervously as they had not initially been intended to lead that particular exercise in the first place.

There was another instance in which I clumsily talked over Caspian when he was leading the check in before the final exercise. Due to the shortness on time, we were trying to signal to Caspian to move the workshop on. However, he was very focused on discussion with participant’s contributions and, understandably, did not notice the subtle signals we were trying to give. When I thought Caspian had finished discussing, I then tried to jump in to move the workshop along, though misjudged the timing, causing me and Caspian to talk over one another. I was conscious throughout the workshop of the importance of keeping a confident persona, however, this caused my confidence to falter for a moment.

Communication was definitely a difficulty throughout the workshop as it was vital that the discussion amongst ourselves remain as subtle as possible, which was often difficult to achieve.

One thing you could improve upon:

Something I feel could improve upon is coping with unexpected situations that arise during workshops. Again, I was made to feel very nervous by the issues that arose due to our time management, which I feel may have affected the quality of content I provided the participants with.

There was a particularly difficult instance that I feel reflected this, which was when I was running the Human Barometer exercise, during which I knew we were short of time. However, the participants seemed to benefit greatly from the exercise as they all had a lot to contribute in response, which made reluctant to cut it short. However, the restriction on time nevertheless set me on edge and I felt very nervous when discussing responses with participants, which may well have shown through my body language and slightly rushed and urgent speech.

Throughout the exercise, people were also nodding at me to finish, as well as Helena signalling our shortness on time, which made me progressively more clumsy with my speech and body language as the exercise progressed due to the nerves and tension that was building throughout. However, I knew very well I couldn’t cut the participants off while in the middle of talking, otherwise the exercise wouldn’t be brought to a satisfying conclusion which would not be beneficial, as the participants who were contributing at the time may be made to feel that their contribution was not listened and was thus invalid.

Though to my disappointment, it was nevertheless necessary that I cut one of the contributions short and apologize to another participant who was very eager and had waited patiently to share their thoughts.

Me being able to pace myself in these situations and remain both inwardly and outwardly calm is something that I know I must to work on, as well as ignoring my surroundings and ensuring the participants remain my main point of focus at all times. Improvising under pressure can be very important if workshops do not go to plan and so this is a skill that I know is vital to develop in order to be more successful in facilitating. Even when placed in difficult situations, it is important that I consider my posture, speech and body language in order to maintain a calm exterior and find the happy medium between being a figure of authority and a friendly guide.

#Final workshop #Second evaluation

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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First Evaluation:

Age of participants: Eight to nine yrs.

Subject of workshop: Internet safety.

How did you think the session went?

Although we faced some issues when leading our workshop, our group were able to improvise and work collaboratively in order to overcome the obstacles and despite the issues faced, I believe the Applied Theatre workshop was successful in fulfilling it’s aims. This was evident in the feedback given to us by the participants, with each one being able to inform us and the rest of the group within the final check-in something that they had learned and benefited from as a result of our workshop. We also received positive feedback from the participants teacher, Ms. Rudd, whom one of our group members ran into shortly after. She informed us that the children felt the workshop had been very beneficial and informative and that they felt able to learn in a safe and non-judgmental space.

What went well?

I feel one of the vital things in making our workshop a successful learning experience for the participants was the introduction of the learning contract at the very start. The contract was crucial in generating a safe, non-judgmental space in which the participants could work as it allowed us to establish common ground between ourselves and our participants.

Both myself and my colleges were slightly on edge regarding the introduction of the contract as one of its primary functions was to introduce a set of ground rules that would make the space and the energy within it more manageable and safe for everyone to work in. Though we were slightly worried that, with the age group of the participants we were working with, they may misinterpret the rules as being designed merely to restrain them and they would consequently rebel against them. However, we were in fact pleasantly greeted with great excitement regarding the development of the contract, which we all did together as a collective group, the participants all being eager to make their own contribution to the set of ground rules.

When asking the participants for their suggestions regarding ground rules for the space, we wrote them down and stuck them on the wall so we would be able to refer back to them if the participants needed to be reminded of how to keep the space safe and risk free.

We also ensured participants were aware of the space they were working in and with whom they would be working. We all began by introducing ourselves, before also introducing Helena and Sita and making the participants aware of what everyone’s role in the space was in order to avoid any distractions or confusion and to ensure that the participants were entirely comfortable with where and whom they were working.

This all played a vital role in establishing a safe and productive atmosphere in which everyone could work and participants displayed great enthusiasm towards the contract and the rules that we, as a collective group, had all agreed. This provided the workshop with positive energy right from the start.

One of the things that both helped establish this energy and really helped keep our workshop on the ground throughout was the chant we devised (and also introduced to the participants during the contract at the start), designed to get the attention of the participants when energy levels in the room got difficult to manage. The chant we used consisted of two phrases that we used as a call and response. The chant began with one of the facilitators saying (at any point that we felt the energy levels in the space were getting out of hand) ‘when I say pop, you say up. Pop-’ and participants would respond in unison with ‘up’, paired with the action of raising their arms. This chant could also be linked to the education of our participants as it was in connection with our subject matter, thus highlighting to the participants the danger of online pop ups on a regular basis and leading the them to make enquirers about them, thus furthering their educational development and encouraging their curiosity.

Another thing that went well was the participant’s response to exploring physicality through the use of freeze frames. In a way, we used freeze frames as a way personifying various dangers that could be encountered on the internet to allow the participants to embody these dangers through their physicality and gain a greater insight into the issues explored than they would through simple verbal discussion. We began by splitting the class into groups and each facilitator designated themselves a group to help guide the participants in their exploration. We then wrote down on a piece of paper all the dangers we could think of regarding internet safety, before choosing three words from our list that we believed to be of particular importance. Using these three words, we guided the participants into creating three still images of a situation that they would associate with each word. The participants in the group that I was guiding told me during the exercise that this was helpful to them as it was allowing them to look at the situation from an entirely different perspective and consider more closely possible solutions or ways of avoiding the difficulties we discussed. This also introduced the participants to new ways of expressing themselves with their views and their concerns regarding the issues we explored in a safe, risk free environment.

We also ensured that we performed regular check-ins with the participants after exercises to ensure that everyone in the group was still comfortable in the space. We also wanted to check how successful the exercises had been for the participants, allowing us to adapt the exercises if some of the participants were not finding them beneficial in any way. Fortunately, the majority of exercises received positive feedback from the majority of participants, though we still took into consideration the importance of communication and asked participants to justify their feelings, particularly if they did not find something beneficial. We reminded ourselves constantly of the importance of this as it is vital that each individual participant feels that their voice is heard by the group and that their point of view is valid.

Finally, we left the workshop on a positive note, with a round of applause for all and one last pop-up chant for luck!

What issues did you face?

However, a particular issue we faced when presenting our workshop was time management and fitting the material we had prepared into the one hour slot. During the process of devising and practicing our workshop, we had difficulty trying to make the workshop fit into the time slot as we were always left with at least ten minutes to spare. This meant we had to improvise, which frequently disrupted the energy of our workshop and threw off the learning process we had planned out.

However, in the final workshop we found that this time, we had planned too much material for the participants to complete in the hour we were given. Again, this meant we had to improvise in order to adapt our workshop to the unexpected circumstances we were faced with. Though despite the difficulty we had beforehand, we knew that this time we needed to cut material from our workshop as opposed to adding material at the very last minute. To some degree, this made the problem far more manageable than it had been during rehearsals and we were able to overcome this issue through communication, though this could be tricky at times. When participants were busied with exercises, the other facilitators briefly and discretely conferred with another through gestures and brief, hushed phrases and though there were some miscommunications, we were able to agree what to cut from our workshop and what to go ahead with.

Another thing that I felt was important to the success of the workshop was the warm down at the very end, though there were some issues with this. Sadly, it was rushed due to the time restriction, though we were still able to leave the space on a positive note and reminded the participants of safety on the internet with one last call and response chant (I say ‘pop’, you say ‘up!’), before bringing the workshop to a close with a collective round of applause!

I believe our group worked through the issue of time management well, though it nevertheless remained a pressing issue throughout. Much to my dismay, I had to cut off one of the participants who wished to contribute to one of our final discussions as I was set on edge by the various signals to wrap up the exercise.

#First evaluation

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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An overview of our workshop:

The client group: The Client group for our workshop are a class containing twenty-one (CHECK THAT) participants from Saltford C of E Primary School in Bath. All participants aged eight to nine years and the topic that will run our workshop on will be internet safety.

Space in which the workshop will be held: A large classroom (class HR) with tables and chairs. We will shift the tables to the back of the room and stack the chairs in front of them to clear a space in the middle, as well as giving us easy access to the chairs when we need them (for games such as fruit salad). We have no use for any speakers or technical input, a large space is all we need.

Structure/ intended journey:

Our workshop will begin with an introduction in which everyone stands in a circle, creating a space where everyone in within view of one another and on the same level. We then introduce ourselves as facilitators and inform the participants of what our role will be in the workshop. Once the participants our familiar with us and our reasons for being here, we then go around the circle and allow the participants to give their own names so we can get to know them better as individuals. We will then do this a second time, but this time we will ask the participants to express themselves with an action to accompany their name. And to ensure no participant feels uncomfortable or self-conscious, we all then copy their action to show that this workshop is something we are all doing together and that participants are allowed to express themselves freely without feelings of embarrassment or fear of being ridiculed.

We will then sit down together in the circle and begin making a contract, consisting of a list of rules that both facilitators and participants must abide by in order to keep this a safe and non-judgemental learning space. Instead of listing the rules ourselves, we will ask the participants to contribute to the list of rules, allowing them to create a space for themselves that they know they will feel comfortable working in. We will also introduce a chant with the contract in order to regain the attention of the participants, should the level of energy in the room become difficult to manage. We will link this chant to internet safety by using pop ups as the basis for the chant. This chant will be call and response, saying ‘I say pop, you say up. Pop-’ and the participants will respond with ‘up!’, which will be accompanied by a small physical gesture of the participants raising their arms with their response of up. The addition of some simple physicality in a regularly used chant that alludes to internet safety will help retain muscle memory as well mental notes in connection with the subject matter we will be learning about, which will later be of use to participants during their post-workshop journey.

We write down the contract as we go along and when we are finished, we will stick it up on the wall within the viewing range of everyone in the space, making it easy to refer back to should anyone in the space ever need to be reminded of it.

We will then take the participants through a few games to get them warmed up for the workshop. These will be simple games just to get the participants on their feet and raise the energy levels in the room, though we will include small links to internet safety in these games, for instance changing the words in ‘fruit salad’ from fruit to words that the participants associate with internet consumption, or using ‘the bomb and shield game’ as a metaphor for the avoidance of harmful aspects and dangers of the internet.

We will then hold a check in after the warm up to see where the participants energy levels are at and what they feel they have gained from the workshop thus far. We will ask the participants to stand in a circle and give one word that they feel best sums up how the warm up made them feel. We will also ask them why they think these simple exercises may relate to internet safety in order to encourage open discussion on the subject, as well as helping them learn about the subject matter through a hands-on experience that they may not have thought about before.

After the check in, we will then begin a group exploration, in which the participants are split into smaller groups with one facilitator per group to help guide them through the exercise. We will then provide the groups with a piece of paper and pen each and ask participants to write down words that they associate with internet safety and to then pick three that they feel are most important. Participants will then have the concept of freeze frames explained to them by the facilitator that is guiding their group and will then be asked to create three freeze frames using the three words they have selected from their list (one word per freeze frame).

Once this is done, participants will perform their freeze frames to the rest of the class and the participants will be able to guess which word they think the group used to create their freeze frame.

Within their groups, participants will then be asked to choose one of these freeze frames that they would like to transform into a scene. This offers them further exploration into the issue they have demonstrated in their chosen freeze frame by asking them to consider the logistics of the issues they have presented in far more detail in order to bring it to life. Once they have made and presented their scene, we will then take their exploration to the next level by asking them to create another scene following on from the situation they presented in their first scene adapted from their selected freeze frame, in which they will present what they feel is the best solution to/ way of dealing with the issue they have conveyed. Doing this allows participants to experience the situation first hand, though doing so in a safe, risk free environment in which they can give and receive feedback and ask for assistance if they feel they need it. This acts as a rehearsal of facing the issue/ difficulty in reality and will provide them with the confidence they need to cope with the situation in reality in the most safe and appropriate possible way.

We will then bring the participants back into a circle and carry out another check in, giving them space to reflect upon their experience during the exercise, how it made them feel, what they feel have learned and how the feel they have benefited from it.

We will then expand on this reflection by moving onto a calmer exercise called ‘Human Barometer’, in which a series of statements are given and the participants will have to decide whether they agree, disagree or are not sure and answer by moving to either side of the room, or remaining in the middle if they are not sure, as if they are on a metaphorical scale. However, we will link this to internet safety with the response options to our statements being ‘ACCEPT’, ‘IGNORE’ ‘DON’T KNOW’, with questions relating to situations online which would require one of these responses, such as:

An advert comes up on your screen saying you can win a million pounds if you click the button! What do you do?

You are playing an online game when someone you don’t know starts asking questions about where you live. What do you do?

A pop up comes up on your screen asking you to enter your address. What do you do?

And avert comes up saying you can to buy new ringtones if you give them your phone number.

A pop-up comes up saying a virus has been detected and gives you a button to download the latest anti virus software. What do you do?

You are playing an online game and a stranger sends you a friend request. What do you do?

We have extra questions planned for back-up, though are most likely to only use about four of these as we want this to be a short, calming exercise that ties in well with the final reflection. This exercise not only allows participants to reflect upon what they have learned, but also tests their knowledge, though allowing them to do so in a safe and risk free environment. Participants will reassured by the ‘DON’T KNOW’ option and the fact that we will assure the participants frequently that the ‘DON’T KNOW’ option is a perfectly response, along with any further discussion regarding the participants answer being entirely voluntary on the participant’s behalf. This gives the participants their first chance to reflect quietly and thoughtfully on what they have learned and will help to surface pieces of knowledge they may have picked up subconsciously during the workshop.

Finally, we will bring the participants back into a circle for a final reflection, check-in and a calming warm down. We will then end the workshop on a positive round of applause!

Where this workshop fits within the wider world of applied theatre practice. Key Theories and how you used them:

One of the most important theories that informed the development of our workshop was Freire’s Banking Model of Education (Freire, P. The Banking Concept Of Education). The Banking model of education works by a rule of three, “receive, memorize and repeat.” This is a conventional method of teaching in which students must act as robotic containers that are then filled with information by their teachers, information that if questioned or argued against, will cause the student to be labelled a ‘bad’ student, Freire stating “the teacher is the subject of the learning process, while the pupils are mere objects”. In the Banking model system Freire describes, teachers fill students with specific ideas and information and the students must absorb and retain this information without question, before robotically spewing it back out in a formal setting. The more meekly the student accepts the information given them, the ‘better’ the student. Here, the teachers consider themselves to be superior in their knowledge and consider the students to be the epitome of ignorance and that any questioning or contradiction of said knowledge is wrong. The teacher enforces their choices and the student must comply. Freire’s theory demonstrated to us the vital difference between facilitating and teaching. We are not holding this workshop with the objective to ‘teach’ our participants, but wish to help them understand the issue of dangers on the internet and the safest and most efficient ways in which they can deal with them, but to do so in a way that will empower them and provide them with the inspiration to learn, doing so in a safe and non-judgmental space. This also links to the matter of superiority that Freire brings up. In order to create this safe, productive space, the facilitator must maintain common ground between themselves and the participants, so the participants will not feel belittled or uncomfortable. Therefore, we do not wish to make ourselves appear to have superior power over our participants and we will provide them with the encouragement that we are working in a safe space and everyone’s views and contributions are valid. This will hopefully give the participants the confidence to speak out if they disagree with something and we will ensure that each individual voice feels valued and listen to, rather than having “the teachers teach and the students listen.” However, it is important that we also take into consideration that we must also maintain some degree of authority to manage the energy levels in the room in order to keep the space productive for everyone. It is absolutely crucial as a facilitator to find a healthy balance of authority whilst also maintaining common ground between oneself and the participants in order to act as a friendly guide.

In terms of exercises we plan to use, the concept of using freeze frames in our workshop arose during our research period, the inspiration for this coming from practitioner Agusto Boal and his Theater as Language concept, a theory which he explains in Poetics of The Oppressed (Boal, A. Theatre of the Oppressed). Theater as Language is divided into three degrees, each of these sections being representative of different degrees of audience participation, the first two of which are focused upon the work of the participants and the physical use of their own body. In these three stages, the spectator is encouraged to abandon their typical role of ‘object’ and instead steps up to take on the role of ‘subject’ by playing a part in the on stage action.

The first degree, simultaneous dramaturgy, is the first stage in which it is not required that the participants extend their physical presence onto the stage itself, or in our case, the main focus area of the space. This can be done through a more quiet and less obvious form of participant contribution. We only drew partial inspiration from this degree as the degree progresses into contributions such as scripts and performance ideas. However, we all agreed that the first part of the degree was of vital importance to the success of our workshop as we wished to tailor our workshop to the participants in a way that would make the experience meaningful to them as an individual, therefore discussion and encouraging contributions from the participants is imperative. We will then go on to use these contributions in the next degree of Theater as Language, from which we drew inspiration from.

Image Theater is the second degree in this theory, a concept in which the participants explore their own thoughts and feelings on certain matters through the use of physicality. The participants are first asked to discuss each others views on a common issue, whether it be worldwide or an issue relating to their community, giving them a change to discuss and reflect upon their standpoints. We will use this when we have the participants write down words relating to internet safety, before choosing three that they feel are the most important. Though once the discussion section of the exercise has finished, all verbal idioms are banned from there on out, thus forcing open the door of physical representation with which to convey their thoughts and feelings to one another. The participants can do this making ‘human statues’ of themselves using the three words that they have selected, which we in drama would call ‘freeze frames.’ It also makes the thoughts of the individual far more apparent as every verbal word will hold a different connotation for each individual participant, thus through this exercise the individual is able to freely demonstrate their own individual interpretation of the particular word they have chosen. This exercise is helpful to the success of an Applied Theater workshop or performance as it is vital that every participant feels heard and listen to and this exercise has the capacity to make visible the views, thoughts and feelings of the participants that are unique and personal to them.

During our research, we also drew inspiration from Boal’s concept of Forum Theatre, the third degree in Boal’s Theater as language theory. In Forum Theatre, the participant must intervene with the action far more decisively in oder to influence it. In this degree, participants are asked to decide upon a social or political issue that has a difficult and then to deliver this issue in narrative form. The story giving by the participants is then transferred onto the stage in a 10-15 skit, however, the actors must now improvise or run through a possible solution for the issue and when the skit comes to an end, the actors address the audience and ask for feedback as to whether or not they agree with the solution presented. After the feedback is given, the skit is then performed again, the actors performing it exactly as they did the first, however, this is when a more direct form of audience participation is introduced. This time, the audience may influence the scene by pausing it at any moment and stepping in the replace which ever actor they see fit in order to best influence the scene to their will. The displaced actor must stand aside, ready to resume their place whenever the participants feel it is appropriate to do so.

However, we have decided not to use Forum Theatre in the exact way in which Boal describes. Instead, we plan on having the participants bring one of their freeze frame to life in a scene and to then follow this with an entirely new scene that chronologically proceeds their first, the second showing how they feel they would deal with the situation they present. This concept is adapted from the concept that Boal has named Forum Theatre and is loosely based upon the idea and philosophy behind it. In our first formative presentation of our workshop that was done in the second week of our development process, we tried using Forum Theatre in its raw form. However, our use of Forum Theatre did not work in the way had hoped and neither us nor the participants felt as if it was of any benefit, thus made for an unsuccessful exercise. And so, we have instead incorporated elements of Forum Theatre into our workshop, allowing participants to intervene with situations on stage in the best way they see fit. However, the scenes they perform will be prepared in the few minutes we give them in the workshop, to then be performed to the rest of the participants as their way of showing their method of intervention, as opposed to having the facilitators perform the scene and having the participants intervene when they see fit to create a new, improvised scene. Each group will be working together to come up with their creative responses to their selected words. This practice is key in empowering the participants and providing them with the will and inspiration they require to learn through the exploration of their own creative interpretations, as practicing such changes in the form of theater enforces a belief in themselves that they can make these changes in reality and often leaves them with a great desire to do so. Therefore, linking an exercise derived from the practice of Forum Theater will teach the participants how to deal with difficult situations relating to internet safety that they personally believe are important. It provides participants with practice on how they may do so in the form of performance, thus will help provide them with the confidence to do so in reality, therefore equipping them with the tools they need to cope well with these issues.

Although we have decided to, in a sense, test the participants towards the end of the workshop, we have decided to do so in a way which we know will not conform to Freire’s Banking Model of Education system. We have ensured this by putting the ‘Human Barometer’ exercise towards the end of the workshop, after the participants have been taken on their journey and have hopefully learned a great deal about our subject matter through the hands-on experience we, as facilitators, wish to provide. The ‘human barometer’ gives the participants a chance to realize what they have learned throughout their experience and gives them further opportunity to reflect upon and discuss it. However, by providing them with a ‘DON’T KNOW’ option (and we will reassure the participants frequently that this is a perfectly valid response) and by making all further discussion on their answers entirely voluntarily. This allows the participants to test their knowledge in a safe, risk free space and does so through experience, rather than having ”the teachers teach and the students listen-meekly”, as put by Freire (Freire, P. The Banking Concept Of Education).

The regular check-ins that will occur in our workshop are also prompted by Freire, who highlights the importance of “giving them [the participants] space to reflect”, as opposed to simply having the participants being the “objects”, while we throw verbal facts at them and which we expect them to retain. We all agreed very strongly with this theory because This relates to Chris Johnson’s theory of ‘Making Difficult’, in which Johnson states that ‘the facilitator’s job is to “prod at people’s knowledge” as opposed to spoon feeding participants with information. Johnson states that “both ‘teacher’ and ‘director’ are used sometimes in Community contexts. But there is a key difference between the conventional idea of the teacher and that of the facilitator. The former is more concerned with passing on skills while the latter tends to orientate the work around the perceived agenda of the participating group”. (Johnston, C. House of games).

This theory was vital in informing our work as we wanted our participants to learn through experience. As opposed to bombarding them with knowledge, we want our workshop to guide the participants down a path of discovery that they can then explore on their own terms, to inspire them and help them find new ways in which to learn and express their views. As Boal states, successful and beneficial workshops are about “empowering participants and throwing out tools” (Boal, A. Theatre of the Oppressed), rather than expecting them to act as mere “containers of information”, as highlighted by Freire (Freire, P. The Banking Concept Of Education).

Bibliography:

Theatre of the oppressed - Boal, A. (2000) Theatre of the Oppressed: New Edition, Pluto Press. London.

Freire, P. (1970) The Banking Concept Of Education. Educational foundations: An anthology of critical readings, pp.99-111.

Johnston, C. (2015) House of games: Making theatre from everyday life. Routledge.

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Week 2 of the process:

In our second week back, we ran our own workshop on internet safety for the first time with our seminar group. Though the participants in this group were aged nineteen to twenty-one years, while our workshop was designed for a primary school class of year four students (aged eight to nine years). However, this was a good opportunity to experience the structure of our workshop in practice and receive feedback on any alterations that participants feel should be made before our final presentation.

We got much feedback from the first run of our workshop in which the participants stated that it was an interesting and diverse subject to explore. They also praised our groups ability for encouragement and thought that it was very appropriate for the age group of the participants we would run our final workshop with. There were also some strong moments in adapting to the space and the needs of the participants, one prominent example being when Holly was able to adapt our game of fruit salad to allow Bethany to join in rather than being excluded from the group, as she had been injured the week before and could not run as a result.

However, despite praise in some areas, there was also much critique in the feedback for us to take on board. Some of the participants pointed out that the energy levels were slow at some points and that we needed to think of ways in which we could maintain a productive atmosphere in the space and not loose the attention of the participants. This is a very important thing to consider as it is vital that participants remain engaged throughout the workshop for it to be of benefit to them and it is our job as facilitators to keep their focus high. It was usually within the more verbal and less action based exercises that the energy levels seemed to lull, so perhaps in order to remedy this, we need to think of more hands-on exercises that will get the participants up on their feet, as opposed to the workshop consisting heavily of verbal contributions. While verbal reflection plays a very important role in tailoring our workshop to the needs of the participants, it is equally important that we keep the participants stimulated. Finding the healthy medium between the two absolutely crucial if we are to run a successful workshop that will be a beneficial and positive experience for our participants, so it is therefore something that we must very carefully consider over our next week of development.

Another issue we faced during this run through was time management. It seems that in our planning, we overestimated how much time each exercise would take to complete, thus not leaving us with enough material to fit the one hour slot, our workshop instead only lasting forty minutes. I believe this also contributed to the low energy levels in the room as after realizing our misjudgement, we purposely tried to slow down each exercise in a panicked effort to make the workshop fit into the required time slot. We also attempted to add more exercises while the workshop was running in a frantic attempt to fill time. This was done in a panic right towards the end just before the final check-in, when we threw in a game of fruit salad, which should only ever be used as a warm up game to get participants on their feet, not as that something to follow on from the main exercise. But even then, our workshop failed to come close to the given time slot. It is very important that we fix this and plan more back up exercise so we aren’t seen to be floundering while running our workshop, as a falter in the facilitator’s confidence could very well have a negative impact on participants.

Another issue that we faced and that was pointed out by participants, was our brief and disorganized warm-down. This warm down was planned late and was only rehearsed once, so it came as no surprise to us that it went badly. This was a wake up call on the importance of planning and rehearsing well in advance and ensuring each facilitator knows what role they must take on in the workshop.

We also had an issue of our subject matter being too specific. Although our subject matter was internet safety, we chose to focus on the specific issue of harmful pop-ups on online games. While we felt this was a very important issue to raise, it ended up limiting our potential of what we could do with our material. We were told that while we must keep our issue specific, we must also leave enough room in the subject matter for exploration on the participants behalf.

We also plan to change our group exploration exercise from Boal’s forum Theater, to Boal’s Image Theatre, following with a scene exercise that is loosely derived from the concept of Forum Theater, though done more in a collaborative group as opposed to singling participants out. This is because we were told by many participants (and much to our agreement) that our use of forum theater was unsuccessful, partly due to the limited action that could be taken in scenes due to the very specific issue we were looking at (which did nothing to help the low energy levels of the space) and also due to concern that the exercise may not be engaging to participants of a younger age. Nevertheless, it is vital that we continue to research thoroughly into the participants age group and think carefully about the dynamic of the group, as we are well aware that running this workshop for a younger age group will be very different from running it with participants who exceed the age range the workshop was designed for by at least a decade.

Although the specific changes in behavior are hard to predict, we must ensure that we are well prepared for any unexpected situations that may occur while running our final workshop.

#Week 2

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Week 1 of the process:

Two workshops were rehearsed with us and we gave feedback.

The first Workshop.

Designed for: Youth Theater Primary age.

Subject matter: Classics.

General Feedback:

The general feedback from participants praised this workshop for having a diverse and interesting theme, as well as efficient facilitators who were able to keep participants engaged throughout. It was also praised for it’s good structure was effective on taking the participants on an interesting and beneficial journey, along with good time keeping skills and mentally challenging exercises.

On things to improve, many commented that some of the discussions during the check-ins and the more verbal exercises were not always age appropriate for participants of a primary age. Some facilitators brought up political and adult issues in that featured in classic stories that were successful in keeping these stories timeless, as many of the issues raised were still present and valid today. Although this discussion was successful for participants of our own age group, it may have been difficult to grasp or inappropriate for children of a primary age.

My own feedback on first workshop:

EA - Good things: Some in depth exploration of different themes and how various characters can be portrayed. Focusing on different emotions and showing the humanity behind characters from classical stories, helping the participants to feel more connected to the characters and stories. Imaginative and enjoyable choice of exercises. Good warm up and check-in, helping participants to get their head in the space.

Things to improve: I sometimes felt a little lost with what to do. Make sure all exercises are thoroughly explained and to check regularly with the participants that they definitely understand or have something they can actively engage with. But overall a successful workshop!

The Second Workshop.

Subject matter: Exploring text.

Designed for: Youth Theatre, secondary age.

General Feedback:

This workshop was praised for having very unique exercise and successfully guiding participants throughout their journey by providing facilitators to help each group in the exploration exercise, in which everyone was split off into smaller units to devise a physical scene. Rather than just leaving the participants to it, each group had the same facilitator to guide them throughout, which made the overall atmosphere of the space much more safe.

To improve the workshop, some participants said that some more warm up activities at the start would have been helpful in easing the participants into full on scene making. It was also agreed by many that more check-ins with participants were needed and that facilitators needed to give the group more time to reflect on the activities.

My own feedback on the second workshop:

E.A- Good things: This workshop was very clear and well instructed. As a participant I felt very safe in the space. The facilitators made sure that all the participants felt safe and reassured and the facilitators constantly reminded the participants that all interpretations are valid. The exercises were very well thought out and constructed and participants always had material to actively engage in.

Things to improve: Perhaps have some more feedback, allow participants to talk more about the process of their scene development and to give more open feedback towards the end. But overall, this workshop was very engaging, very fluid and very well constructed.

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In the meantime during the course of the week, we were in the process of developing a workshop of our own that focused on the subject of internet safety, placing particular focus on pop-ups online. Designed for participants aged eight to nine years, the workshop is scheduled to take place at Satlford C of E Primary school on Monday 6th February.

We are currently doing research on age appropriate games for our participants which we can link to pop-ups on the internet which will educate the students on the subject in an engaging and hands-on way.

For our group exploration activity, we are currently leaning towards Boal’s Forum Theater as we feel it will allow the participants to see themselves in a difficult situation regarding online pop-ups and consider carefully the most efficient way with which to deal with it. However, they are doing so in a safe risk free environment in which participation is voluntary and participants are able to learn simply through spectating if they so which. And no matter which option the participants choose, the facilitators will always be available to guide them, especially the facilitator taking on the role of ‘the joker’ in this specific exercise.

We are currently putting together a contract that will help create a safe and risk free learning in environment, a space in which participants can feel empowered and explore productively without fear of judgement or ridicule. We have also put together a call and response chant to regain attention of participants and to bring down the energy levels in the space in case it becomes difficult to manage. This chant relates to our theme of pop-ups, saying “I say pop, you say up!” and the participants will respond with “Up!” and a brief physical gesture of raising their arms, a metaphorical demonstration of the point through a simple use of physicality.

We have also contacted our tutor in order to acquire direct information about our participants and the space in which we will be working in the school at which our workshop will be held. We received this email in response:

Hi all, Neil has come back to me with following information: The workshops will be taking place in the classrooms. NB and NS are large classrooms which, when the chairs and tables are stacked at the back, give a good sized space for physical activities. Class HR is an average size room. It will be fine for the children to take off their shoes. The Year 4 classes are studying the Romans in history and earthquakes and volcanoes in geography. Class NS is studying Ancient Greece in history. We don’t tend to have a particular text book that the whole class uses. In foundation subjects we often use web sites for research or we might print fact sheets for children to read. Maybe you could clarify what you meant by books used for subjects. (you don’t have to use these subjects only if you want to) He has also said that some of you would be very welcome to come in and have a look at the classrooms beforehand if that would be helpful for planning. The only morning I can do is Thursday morning. Are any of your or perhaps another member of your group free on Thursday morning. I can check with him this evening if that is suitable or if there is a better time that you can go let me know. Also it would be good if just one person per group visited so as not to have too many people going in and if you all went at the same time.

This information, although not much to go on, at least provides us with a decent idea of the space in which we will be working, as well as the number of participants we will be working with, which allow us to better plan the division of groups should we need to and find exercises that are suitable for the space.

#Week 1

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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The Passion in Port Talbot.

For my case study, I have chosen to look at and evaluate a large scale community theatre piece, titled The Passion in Port Talbot. The Passion in Port Talbot is a modernized retelling of Biblical tale of The Passion of Christ, that will be held in the city of Port Talbot in Wales, starring over 4000 people, the actors involved being the citizens of Port Talbot themselves. The Passion in Port Talbot is hosted by The National Theatre of Wales and the mastermind behind the piece is Hollywood actor Michael Sheen, who was born and grew up in the town of Port Talbot, stating that he views the town as home as that he is very proud of his roots. Though The Passion in Port Talbot is in fact a collaborative piece between Wild Works and The National Theatre of Wales. These companies are frequently known for their collaborative work with communities, whom they always ensure to work with and not for to ensure that that these communities are faithfully represented and are able to speak with a voice of their own, rather than have someone outside the community speak on their behalf without having been given their blessing to do so. They are also known for their Applied Theatre work which they always ensure is made accessible to the masses, straying from familiar theatre conventions and often choosing to perform their work in public areas such as pubs, village halls, town squares, museums, etc., as opposed to the stage/ theatre setting. The town of Port Talbot itself is an industrial town in South Wales that manufactures products such as steel and chemicals. Due to its industrial reputation, the town of Port Talbot is frequently bypassed. The Passion in Port Talbot aims to give the frequently ignored town and its inhabitants a voice of their own with which to express themselves and bring to light something within their heritage of which they can all, together as a community, be openly proud.

I found this piece particularly interesting as it provides a completely new perspective on the ancient biblical tale of The Passion of Christ. Michael Sheen explains in an interview that he was increasingly concerned about playing the role of Jesus as the citizens of Port Talbot may take it as a pretentious gesture by ‘returning to his down as Jesus’. However, Sheen goes on to explain that to him, the depiction of Jesus is this recreation of The Passion of Christ is not a figure who has come to Port Talbot to tell or to teach and is not in any way a figure of superiority, but is instead symbolic of a figure who has come to listen to the people, to their stories and to their views. And the project even ensured this possibility by setting up public stands around Port Talbot in which anyone could share their stories, verbally, through writing or by any means they saw fit. These stories would then be incorporated into the piece itself, ensuring that the voice of every individual was heard. I felt very drawn to this piece as the figure of Christ is frequently depicted as an object of guilt who suffered from the misdeeds of the people, whose views are inevitably correct and should not be contradicted by anyone. However, Sheen’s representation of Christ is something that the people can find helpful and beneficial to them as a community and rather than being inferior to, are able to find common ground with and relate to.

As the performance of this piece has passed and has not since been repeated, I cannot experience the piece first hand and so, in order to evaluate this piece, I must therefore use the resources made available to me by other means. One of the platforms I am using as a research tool are documentaries on the piece, many of which are made by BBC Wales, such as The Passion of Port Talbot-The Town Tells It’s Story and The Passion Has Begun!. These documentaries are useful tools for research on the piece as they contain vital information on how the piece was put to together, what the intentions were behind it and first hand accounts on how the community members involved felt about and experienced the piece. I am also using news reports about the piece, as well as reviews from those present (both critics and members of the community itself) in order to gain a wider insight into how the piece was publicly received, both by those within the community of Port Talbot and those outside it. There are also home videos taken by those present at the performance, depicting crucial moments in the piece such as the crucifixion scene- these are useful as it is the next best thing to experiencing these moments first hand. I am also gathering information on the history and function of the town itself as I believe that knowing the heritage of the town will give me better insight into what the piece truly meant for the community of Port Talbot.

- E.A.

#Case study

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Freire: The Banking Model of Education.

Put simply, the Banking model of education works by a rule of three, “receive, memorize and repeat.” This is a method in which students must act as robotic containers that must then be filled with information by their teachers, information that if questioned or argued against, will cause the student to be deemed a ‘bad’ student. In the Banking model system Freire describes, teachers fill students with specific ideas and information and the students must absorb and retain this information without question, before robotically spewing it back out again in a formal setting. The more meekly the student accepts the information given them, the ‘better’ the student. In this system, the oppressors (in this case, the teachers) consider the knowledge they provide to be gift given to the oppressed (in this case, the students). Here, the teachers consider themselves to be superior in their knowledge and consider the students to be the epitome of ignorance and that any questioning or contradiction of said knowledge is wrong. The will teacher enforces their choices and the student must comply.

This method of teaching can be found within the majority of educational facilities throughout the UK and it is therefore probably not unusual to have experienced the Banking model of education first hand. I personally find this method very limiting and that the feeling of repressing it deals to a student can have a lasting effect on the students who experience it. It can limit one’s belief in their own abilities and even their own validation on things that truly inspire them, leaving them with a lack of confidence to express themselves in ways that they, as an individual, see fit. I personally have encountered many situations in which things that truly inspire me have been invalidated or dismissed as being worthless in a ‘contemporary society’. Things such as particular art forms, that I personally hold very close and wish to peruse within my studies, have even been dismissed as ‘selfish methods of expression’, sometimes through the use of harsh and obscene terms of phrasing by theorists that, as a student, are supposed to be regarded as role models. From a student’s point of view who must look to their educators for guidance, to hear these things from those whom they must look up to can be deeply saddening as well as dangerously discouraging. However, for the sake of ambition in gaining a meaningful qualification, a student must often speak and write in praise and false agreement of teachings that demoralize, or harshly invalidate them by openly shaming them for their personal forms of self expression. Naturally, to be placed in such situations can be very distressing. I feel this method of teaching can be very harmful as it can limit a student’s potential to a very subjective field that may not speak to them personally, as the Banking model of teaching that Freire describes with it’s invalidation towards what truly inspires a student, can cause a loss of confidence towards the field in which they are naturally drawn to by making them feel ashamed of what inspires them by attaching to it a label of apparent worthlessness, thus squashing their unique and personal sense of creativity and capacity for forms of self expression that come naturally to them as an individual. This can have a harmful and lasting effect on a student by implanting the fear that their own methods of self expression are worthless and will not be listened to, thus leaving them feeling limited and incompetent with regards to their own abilities towards their natural fount from which they draw their creativity.

Regarding the general theory on the situation of the oppressed, Boal and Friere both seem to agree on the idea that work must be formed with and not for the oppressed in order to ensure that the oppressed are properly represented. In these texts, Boal and Friere both present the theory that solidarity with the oppressed does not just require a self-realization on the oppressors part, but that the oppressor must also fight beside the oppressed in order to make themselves an ally and reform their role as the oppressor. In order to truly become their ally, the oppressor must stop placing the oppressed into a category of a mass that is need of pity, but instead regard them as persons who are on an equal level as themselves, but have simply been unjustly dealt with. Mere guilt that is appeased through sentimentality and talk of sympathy simply will not do. Freire and Boal also both look into the concept of the oppressed becoming the oppressor, sometimes through the oppressor’s example (by which, such as in the teacher/ student relationship, the oppressed know no different), or by way of the oppressed overthrowing the oppressor and subsequently becoming the oppressor themselves by way of punishment for their former oppressor. However, both Boal and Freire agree that the only way to overthrow an oppressor is not to punish them, but to find solidarity and common ground with them and therefore break the cycle in its entirety, rather than the two roles merely trading places routinely.

- E.A.

#Reading 7

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Augusto Boal, Poetics Of The Oppressed (Continued).

Third stage, Theatre as language: The third stage is divided into three degrees, each of these sections being representative of different degrees of audience participation, the first two of which are focused upon the work of the participants and the physical use of their own body. In these three stages, the spectator is encouraged to abandon their typical role of ‘object’ and instead steps up to take on the role of ‘subject’ by playing a part in the on stage action.

The first degree, simultaneous dramaturgy, is the first stage of dramatic intervention performed by the spectator in which it is not required that they extend their physical presence onto the stage itself. This can be done through a more quiet and less obvious form of audience contribution, in which an audience member proposes an idea and the actors can then perform short improvised scene using the audience member’s point of idea as their stimulus. Furthermore, a local resident may prepare a script for the actors to perform- this will still fall into the criteria of the first degree, provided they are present in the audience. The actors can also further the level of audience participation by stopping the performance and asking them for possible solutions to help them out of a crisis they may have met during the progression of the performance, or any ideas the audience may have to further the plot. The actors will act out these ideas and solutions and must comply strictly with the instructions provided by the audience, while ensuring that each individual idea provided is carried out. By ensuring that every last contribution be acted out before trying the same base scenario again only using a different course of actions provided by another audience member, the actor is then forced to not only consider the individual, but must also interpret the audience as an entirety. They are now interpreting the mass audience in their schools, clubs, communities, classes, etc. And although Boal considers the interpretation of a mass audience to be far more difficult than that of an individual, who also states that it causes an actor to produce a far greater creative output. This degree is also extremely beneficial to audience members as it creates great excitement within audiences when they realise the level of creative freedom they have been given and breaks the wall between spectator and performer, allowing them to feel at one with the performers themselves.

The second degree, Image Theatre, is a far more direct form of audience participation in which the participants explore their own thoughts and feelings on certain matters through the use of physicality. The participants are first asked to discuss each other’s views on a common issue, whether it be worldwide or an issue relating to their community, though from there on out, all verbal idioms are banned thus forcing open the door of physical representation with which to convey their thoughts and feelings to one another. The participants can do this making ‘human statues’ out of the actors. One participant will act as ‘the sculptor’ while the actors will take on the role of being their ‘clay’. The designated sculptor will then shape the bodies of the actors in order to create a tableaux that they feel best conveys their feelings towards the issue in question, shaping the actors right down the last minute details, even the most subtle of facial expressions. During the exercise, no one is allowed to speak. However, when the participant is satisfied with the picture they have created, they can then enter into discussion with the spectators, who will provide the participants with feedback. Modifications can also be used to further this exercise, in which other spectators can alter the statues created by the sculptor. These alterations can from the most subtle detail to the entirety of the statue and participants can play around with the statues until they reach a picture that is most agreeable to the majority of the audience. This degree can be among the most stimulating forms of expression for an audience as it allows them to explore other ways of making thoughts visual by muting verbal language, forcing them to take into consideration other forms of language (such as body language) that is not always entirely noticeable when placed next to verbal forms of expression. It also makes the thoughts of the individual far more apparent as every verbal word has a similar meaning, yet holds a different connotation for each individual, thus through this exercise the individual is able to freely demonstrate their interoperation of a particular word or issue. This exercise is helpful to the success of an Applied Theatre workshop or performance as it is vital that every participant feels heard and listen to and this exercise had the capacity to make visible the views, thoughts and feelings that are personal to them.

In the third and final degree, known as Forum Theatre, the participant must intervene with the action far more decisively in oder to influence it. In this degree, participants are asked to decide upon a social or political issue that has a difficult and then to deliver this issue in narrative form. The story giving by the participants is then transferred onto the stage in a 10-15 skit, however, the actors must now improvise or run through a possible solution for the issue and when the skit comes to an end, the actors address the audience and ask for feedback as to whether or not they agree with the solution presented. After the feedback is given, the skit is then performed again, the actors performing it exactly as they did the first, however, this is when a more direct form of audience participation is introduced. This time, the audience may influence the scene by pausing it at any moment and stepping in the replace which ever actor they see fit in order to best influence the scene to their will. The displaced actor must stand aside, ready to resume their place whenever the participants feel it is appropriate to do so. This brings improvisation to new levels and builds a further connection between audience and actors as they must all work together as a team and as each other’s equals, each coming up with creative responses to whatever idea or situation the other may present and exploring all possibilities presented by each individual. This practice is key in empowering the participants and providing them with the will to make a positive change, as practicing such changes in the form of theatre enforces a belief in themselves that they can make these changes in reality and often leaves them with a nagging desire to do so.

Fourth stage: Theatre as discourse: In this the fourth stage, Theatre as discourse, Boal states that the bourgeoisie have created the ‘finished theatre’ as is a reflection of their world, as the bourgeoisie tend to live their life in greater certainty than that of the lower classes and reflect an image of the world they already knew. The lower classes, however, lead a much rockier path and do not necessarily know what their content of their world will entail. Therefore, Boal compares the world of the working class to a piece of theatre still undergoing the rehearsal process, stating that it represents the image of the uncertain world and this form of ‘unfinished theatre’, contrary to the ‘finished theatre’ of the bourgeoisie, is a better representative for the lesser fortunate and the uncertainty they frequently face. Boal implies that theatre can present images of transition, and the idea of ‘rehearsal theatre’ responds to the real needs of an audience, as they are abel to step in and manipulate the events and explore the possible changes that would like to see in their own lives first hand, rather than watching the events played out before them.

When conducting a workshop, I think that many of these stages will be very important to consider, particularly the third stage in which Boal talks about the varying degrees of audience participation. Each degree, used one of the other, can work as an effective method in slowly breaking participants out of their shell and encouraging them to get involved with the action. I will use the first degree in Theatre as language to encourage participants to begin speaking their own views and feedback on particular issues and situations as I feel it is important not to throw them straight into active intervention as it is very important for the wellbeing of the participants that the facilitator takes into consideration that some participants may come to a workshop nervous or uncomfortable. Therefore it is important that more direct forms of participation be eased into slowly and the the third stage allows this by having the participants act as spectators but are still able present their ideas verbally and subsequently see them played out for them by the actors. This is crucial in laying the foundations for a safe place in which the participants can explore, showing them that no matter what their idea may be, it is perfectly valid and will be carried out in a safe and judgmental atmosphere.

I will then use the second degree, Image Theatre, to build on this as will allow participants to express their views in a way that is personal to them and is done so in a form that directly interactive, however, they need not fear being judged or heckled when constructed their ideas due to the ban on verbal idioms. This will also ease the participants into exploring their own physical capabilities and finding news of expressing their thoughts as the ban on verbal language forces open the door of physical exploration. By the time we reach the fourth stage, Forum Theatre, the participants will have been able to explore expressing verbally through the first stage in their contributions as a spectator and through feedback on their ideas during the second, as well as physically by practicing the embodiment of their ideas through physicality during the process of the second stage. I will work through each of these stages carrying out regular check-ins with the participants to ensure that they are feeling comfortable and that we move on to the next stages only when each and every participant feels ready to do so, ensuring that they have built the necerssary confidence to feel empowered and to contribute to the following stage creatively and effectively. Audience participation is key in order to establish common ground and make the participants feel as if they are on an equal level with their facilitator. It will also allow me as a facilitator to tailor the workshop according the needs and requirements of the participants, helping to make it a successful workshop that is effective in providing the participants with a supportive experience and empowering them to make positive changes in their lives.

- E.A.

#Reading 6

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Augusto Boal, Poetics Of The Oppressed.

One of the first things I noticed in the text was Boal’s explanation of language is not necessarily an idiom and it is not essential that it be expressed through verbal means alone. Art forms such as theatre, movement, puppetry, photography and films can also be used as a language in which one can explore a wide variety of ways to expressing themselves. This makes drama work far more accessible to the masses as language becomes more maluable and can be adapted in ways that can be used by any individual. The technique of exploring language was used explored extensively in the ALFIN project, in which the exploration of language was used to help improve the literacy skills of it’s participants. I found this section of the reading particularly interesting as the subject of exploring language in the ALFIN project gave a perfect example of a workshop that was both very successful in providing participants with the tools to make a positive change to their lives, and in a way that was totally unique in it’s own right.

Another thing I found particularly interesting was Boal’s analysis of the development of theatre and how theatre was initially a more open art form, however, over time, theatre began to take on a more particular and structured layout. Over time, a divide began to emerge between actor and audience and their relationship supposedly became one of lower class (whom Boal pinpoints as being the audience) and the elite (the actor, according to Boal). Boal then goes on to state that the main goal of Theatre Of The Oppressed is to regain the common ground between actor and audience member and once again place them on the same level as one another. Boal describes this as ‘the spectator taking on the role of the protagonist’, referring to this notion as ‘the liberated spectator.’ For me, this initially raised the question of how a spectator can take on the role of a protagonist as this seemingly contradicts the definition of ‘spectator’? Is this achieved through interactive work and Applied Theatre methods, like things such as the ALFIN project?

In the section regarding the photographic replies and the man’s photograph of home, we can learn that every interpretation is a form of expression that is unique to the individual and that any and all interpretations are valid and worthy of discussion within the group. And although some will refer to a literal interpretation as ‘basic’ or ‘unimaginative’, while others may refer to an abstract interpretation as ‘pretentious’ or ‘unnecessary’, it is vital to remember that each answer comes from within the individual and may mean more to them than it might to you, therefore it is always important to keep an open mind and consider what others might see, rather than your own viewpoint and no more. There is always more to an interpretation than meets the eye and this extract teaches us that opinions should not based solely on a first impression. This extract is also a further example of one of the key philosophies within the Applied Theatre genre, this being that there is no right or wrong answer and that everyone’s interpretations, explorations and experiences are valid and should be discussed openly and within a safe and non-judgmental atmosphere.

Knowing The Body: The phrase ‘muscular alienations’ alludes to a sense of self awareness of what the body of an individual is and isn’t attuned to. People performing different roles in society have different demands placed on their bodies, thus develop differing muscular structure in accordance with these demands. People’s physicality is also influenced by the psychological demands of their role, for example: someone who is in a position of power will likely stand upright, with a proud and dignified look about them in a display of dominance and superiority, while a peasant who is conditioned to think they are an inferior, is more likely to cower with their head down and eyes to the floor. This is why it is imperative that everyone in an Applied Theatre workshop be placed on an equal level as one another and everyone is aware of their common ground, allowing the participants to break their psychological barriers and access the full potential of their physical capabilities. There are exercises in which a participant can, in a sense, undo the muscular structure which conditions their body, allowing them to study and judge the extent by which their body is governed by their work. Once the participants have deconstructed the conditions of their own body, they are then able to explore a far wider range of physicality through their new found sense of self awareness and even go on to interpret the physicality required for opposing roles in society. Certain techniques such as meditation, yoga and exercises that practice mindfulness can be applied to the body, helping participants to check into their current bodily state. Participants can then utilize such exercises to place their focus on particular areas of tension and thereby dispel it. It is important that any such areas of tension are addressed, Boal implying that a higher level of awareness regarding one’s own bodily capabilities allows the participants to access higher and more productive levels of creativity with which they can explore.

Making the body expressive: In the next section, Boal explores how to unlock and develop further the expressive capabilities of the body that lie beyond verbal language and idioms. Encouraging participants to play games is a good way for them to access their own expressive potential beyond the use of words. And it is important that the facilitator refer to these particular activities as ‘games’ and not ‘exercises’, that the participants are ‘playing’ a character, as opposed to ‘interpreting’ a character. Using too much dramatic jargon can sometimes cause participants to shut down in the face of it, therefore it is vital that they adopt a light hearted sense of play when they first begin to discover and explore their full physical potential, allowing them to freely conduct their exploration in a safe and risk free space. The games can also act as effective ice breakers and can help the participants build their confidence without fear of judgement, as games and laughter give them leave to be playful, thus providing them with a strong sense of liberation they would not usually feel, which is imperative for a positive and effective workshop. What is important in these games is not that the participants are giving an ‘interesting interpretation’, or that they are getting it ‘right’, but that they are expressing themselves in ways that come naturally to them and in doing so, they are unknowingly giving a theatrical performance that is completely unique and personal to them.

- E.A.

#Reading 5

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Chris Johnson’s House Of Games.

Each polarity consists of two components that’s exploration is imperative for a beneficial and successful Applied Theatre workshop, each relationship containing two opposite yet complimentary roles. Despite the two components within each polarity being complete polar opposites, one cannot function nor fulfill its purpose without the other and failure to explore both components can cause a workshop to become immobilized and incapable of any beneficial progress. In order to explore these polarities successfully, the facilitator must move from different polarity sets according the demands of the situation, the needs of the group they are facilitating and the aspects of the issue they are exploring within the workshop. It is the facilitator’s responsibility to manage and encourage the exploration of the polar relationship while also managing the safety of the group and how these relationships can be productive and beneficial to them. However, when exploring a polarity set, the facilitator must ensure that they do not neglect one side polarity. If only one side of a polarity is explored, a key component of the relationship is thereby neglected and the balance of the workshop becomes disrupted and thrown off, causing it to become counter-productive and immobile. And a workshop in which nothing can be achieved, that does not in any way benefit it’s participants, or that does not aid the participant’s exploration may as well not be carried out at all. Therefore, in order to achieve the overall goal of an Applied Theatre workshop, the well balanced exploration of the six polarities can play a vital role in the carrying out of a productive and beneficial Applied Theatre workshop.

The polarity of Surface and Depth can be frequently encountered within the earlier stages of a workshop. Participants who have little experience with performance can be uncertain when it comes to working in the space and sometimes need to be broken out of their shell. Because of this, there may be a challenge in breaking through the component of Surface and moving into the exploration of depth, as participants who are new to Drama as a whole may at first feel reluctant, shy or embarrassed when it comes to the output of their own ideas and opinions. It is common in these situations for a participant to simply follow what the majority is saying when it comes to providing the facilitator with feedback and opinions on a particular game or exercise, due to fear of being judged by the rest of the group, or giving the ‘wrong’ answer. This can also occur during exercises, in which participants are, at first, most likely to look only at the literal, for example: if put into groups that are all given a situation of which they are told find their own interpretation, participants are most likely to act out the situation as a naturalistic scene. This is a perfectly valid and interesting response to an exercise, however, while this is a perfectly fascinating and attractive interpretation in itself, facilitators are often keen to have their participants explore a wide range of different possible interpretations rather than just the one. This can also interlink with the polarity of The Fixed And The Free, as the introduction of rules and restrictions can be used to combat the imbalance of only exploring the component of Surface. For instance, the restriction of speech means that participants must convey their situation through sound and movement, or one could go the opposite way and restrict movement, meaning the participants must then convey their situation through the use of speech, sounds and freeze frames. When some door is closed, more are forced to open. However, a group’s initial uncertainty with regards to exploring the component of Depth is an integral part of the development of the workshop, as it is imperative that both components of a polarity be explored in order for the workshop to maintain a healthy balance of exploration that will be engaging and beneficial to it’s participants.

Both Laying the Foundations: A guide to youth drama facilitation and Chris Johnson’s House of Games contain detailed descriptions of what Applied Theatre practitioners consider to be the most vital components of an Applied Theatre workshop and what should be taken into account when both constructing an Applied Theatre workshop and carrying one out with a group of participants. House of Games provides facilitators with detailed descriptions on what they should explore in order to build a successful Applied Theatre Workshop, while Laying the Foundations is more focused on the role of the facilitator and how the facilitator’s actions and behavior effects the group as a whole and the workshop’s overall success, as opposed to the actual content of the workshop itself. However, these two aspects of Applied Theatre often come hand in hand and are both vital for the construction and undertaking of a workshop. The two texts describe in detail how these particular elements of Applied Theatre play an important role in workshops and what they do for the participants involved and they benefit the group as a whole. House of Games goes into greater detail of what these components are constructed of and why. For instance, in Laying The Foundations, it is described how rules must be introduced into Applied Theatre games and exercises, stating that it aids enhanced the participants concentration. However, Johnson goes into further detail regarding the importance of rules and why we must have them, describing the benefits of rules and structure in the first polarity (The Fixed And The Free) and how the incorporation of rules into a workshop does not necessarily set limitations, but provide the participants with further opportunities for exploration, as by closing some doors, more are forced open and the participants are therefore able to explore multiple possibilities. Both texts are also very beneficial to keeping a facilitator’s focus upon the overall goal of an Applied Theatre workshop, which is to focus it’s attention upon individuals and/ or communities and to provide them with a safe way of talking back to society by empowering the participants to understand their own lives, providing them with the voice and confidence to explore and apply positive changes to them. Laying The Foundations provides the facilitator with tips on how a safe space can be created in which the participants are able to work on and build this confidence, while House of Games compliments the tips provided in Laying The Foundations by describing how many of these techniques can be traced back to the six polarities and how failure to explore them to a satisfactory level can lead to a counter-productive workshop in which further progress is impossible, leaving the group disappointed and thus producing a negative effect- the exact opposite of what an Applied Theatre workshop aims for. The two readings paired together provide a facilitator with vital information on how to construct a an efficient workshop that the participants will find positive and beneficial, with Laying The Foundations going into detail about how a workshop can be carried out effectively, while House of Games goes into more depth about the prior construction of an Applied Theatre workshop and what is specifically important to explore within it in order to make it effective and beneficial to the group.

- E.A.

#Reading 4

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Laying the Foundations: A guide to youth drama facilitation.

One of the key aspects of design in Applied Theatre games is for them to be enjoyable for the group in order for them to create laughter and amusment and establish a relaxed atmosphere in which the participants can feel comfortable and at ease. However, Applied Theatre games are never conducted without a purpose and are designed to aid the group in both their comfort with the space and other participants, helping to provide them with the right mindset to begin their exploration within the workshop. Applied Theatre games very often pivot around group collaboration and are a useful tool for bringing a group together and helping them gain the confidence to work together as a team/ ensemble in a safe and enjoyable environment. These games are also frequently designed in such a way that will make them ambiguous, allowing facilitators to adapt them themselves when planning their workshop and tailor them specifically to suit the profile of the group they will be working with. This also makes them accessible to a very diverse audience, e.g: Applied Theatre games are capable of transcending the barrier of language by relying more on action and gestures as opposed to spoken word. Applied Theatre games can also be used within the heart of workshops by way of aiding the participants in their own specific journey. For instance, if an exercise focuses on a personal aspect or even within the participant’s life that may be painful or difficult for them to explore, they they are able to remove labels and direct links through the use of games, allowing them to explore the issue in an interactive and thought provoking way that is less directly personal and more ambiguous. While Applied Theatre games are designed to be a light-hearted and pleasurable experience for the group, they are never included in a workshop without a purpose to serve and often act as ice breakers, aiding in collaborative work, or guiding the participants in their own personal exploration.

The general purpose of Applied Theatre is to focus it’s attention upon individuals and/ or communities and to provide them with a safe way of talking back to society by empowering the participants to understand their own lives and provide them with the voice and confidence to explore and change them. Therefore, in correlation with the purpose of the genre itself, the overall objective of the facilitator is to provide the participants of the workshop with a positive, memorable and thought provoking experience, in which they are provided with the tools to discover new ways of expressing themselves and bring them the confidence with which they can make positive differences to their lives. Applied Theatre has become known by its makers, followers and practitioners as the ‘Theatre of Change’ or, to use Boal’s term, ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’ and it is therefore imperative that the facilitator ensures that each individual member of the group feels valued and listened to. In order to achieve their objective, it is the facilitator’s job to ensure that the group are comfortable with each other and what they are doing and to create for them a safe space in which they can work and explore without fear of negative criticism or judgement. They can do this by initiating theatre games which are interactive between both the facilitator and group members and require that they work together as a team/ ensemble. It is often important for the facilitator to participate in these games in order to maintain common ground between themselves and the participants, or else they may give the group the impression that they are placing themselves above them, which can create fear and reluctance within some participants. It it is important that facilitator lets the group know that they are not asking the participants to do anything that they would not do themselves. They must also maintain connection with the group at all times and ensure that the participants remain engaged throughout the duration of the workshop. They can do this by demonstrating a model energy level for the group by varying their own vocal tone and demeanor in accordance with the energy level required- it is therefore important that the facilitator remains extremely self-aware throughout the duration of the workshop so they do not unintentionally lead the group astray. Conducting workshops is a constant learning curve for facilitators as each group responds differently to certain exercises and therefore, the facilitator must constantly adapt and experiment with their workshops and ensure they conduct thorough research into the profile of their target audience in order to meet the overall objective. But the most important role they must undertake is to ensure that the workshop is positive and memorable for the participants and to create for them an environment in which they feel valued, listened to and empowered.

It is very important for a facilitator to introduce feedback at an early stage of the workshop as it demonstrates to the group that the facilitator is interested and concerned with the group’s thoughts, feelings and opinions. Even before the first exercise, the facilitator can carry out a check-in with the group in order to gain insight into the general mood of the group and how the energy levels can be adjusted in a way that is positive and comfortable for the participants. And if later on an exercise meets with negative feedback from the group or the group’s majority, it provides the facilitator with insight into the individuals, thus allowing them to better adapt the workshop to the specific group they are working with. Feedback provides the participants with an opportunity to offer their thoughts and opinions on particular aspects of the workshop and to explore the thoughts they have and why they might have them in response to certain exercises, which is crucial for the effective progression of the workshop. It also provides them with more opportunity to connect with their piers by listening to their explorations as well as one’s own, helping them to learn about and respect the differing opinions of everyone else within the space. This is perhaps a crucial part of an Applied Theatre workshop as it demonstrates to the the participants that there is no right or wrong in a workshop and that everyone’s experience is valid, which is possibly one of the most important aspects when it comes to creating a safe space for the participants to work and express themselves in. Feedback is crucial in aiding the participant’s in their comfort and exploration, as well helping to gain both insight and common ground between the group they are working with.

- E.A.

#Reading 3

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appliedtheatre26-blog · 8 years ago

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Geese Theatre Handbook.

Geese Theatre state their usage of three key theories to consider when facilitating a workshop, these three key theories being the mask, expanding the role repertoire and the challenge comes through the role.

The theory of ‘the mask’ takes an ancient and classical component of theatre and reevaluates it in an entirely metaphorical way. The mask technique in general is very reminiscent of Shakespeare’s ‘All the world’s a stage’ speech, in which it is brought to light how we all play different roles throughout our everyday lives, for each of which the individual has tailored a specific mask they use for each of these given situations. Participants of the workshop can then either figuratively ‘lift the mask’, allowing to see past the front and explore the thoughts and feelings that may have shaped the mask they have manufactured for a certain situation, allowing them to explore and discover aspects of their own experience that shape their behavior today. However, participants are also able to stay ‘behind the mask’, in order to evaluate their reactions and behavior and in turn, explore ways in which to change or control certain aspects of these behavioral traits that society may consider negative or antisocial. Participants are able take part in activities, such as enacting scenes, improvising monologues or playing improv games, with their personal mask either being ‘lifted’ or ‘remaining in place’, thus helping them to explore and delve into the roots of their own behavior.

‘Expanding the role repertoire’ is another way the participant can evaluate aspects of their own behavior, an effective way of doing so frequently being through the use of roleplay. If a participant has been known to react aggressively in situations they find irritating or frustrating, or in which they feel their anger has been provoked, this exercise allows them to practice their composer by taking on a calmer persona, thus allowing the participant to asses their actions while in this persona and the thoughts and feelings they experience while carrying them out. This is a way of showing the participants that they have control over their own reactions and that even if they received poor example throughout their lifetimes, it is still within their power to make their own decisions when it comes to gauging appropriate reactions.

The participants background helps shape their personality, views and attitudes towards life and particular aspects of it. This means their views, attitudes and beliefs play a vital role in their decision making and behavioral traits. ‘The challenge comes through the role’ as offending participants are able to take on the role of their victims and asses the thoughts and feelings they experience when in this role. Similarly, participants can also reenact the scene of their own offense or something reminiscent to it, with another participant taking on the role of the victim. The scene can then be paused at certain points and the participant can take a moment to asses any thoughts they may be having while reliving the scene of their offense, helping them to take into consideration what caused them to commit the offense in the first place. This helps participants to see the reality behind their own offense that they have tried to hide from or belittle, as well as seeing coinciding points of view through the eyes of each role they have taken that were caught up in the event at the time (e.g: the conflicting thoughts of the offender, the victim, the witnesses, etc). While this can be challenging and sometimes very powerful for the participants, it is a way of helping them to understand the consequences of their actions and that despite their previous experiences, they have control and responsibility for their own decision making.

One of the things that stood out for me in the Geese Theatre Handbook was the page in which they included actual quotes from the participants of their workshops. These quotes all appeared to have a negative undertone, though some expressed the desire for change and to find enlightenment to certain aspects of life that these participants feel they had been shut off from, such as “I need a sense of hope. I don’t know what hope is, or what it is to have a life. What is it to trust people or have a friend.” One of these quotes even demonstrated the lack of efficiency in the rehabilitation system, stating “I’ve done 20 years inside, and every time I go out I stay the same. I don’t move on because nothing has gone on while I’m inside. TIme stops.” The page then finished in a powerful way, using a particularly sombre quote that resembled complete hopeless in one’s self from the point of view of the participant, simply stating “I don’t give a shit.” Admittedly, this at first caused me to feel somewhat unsure as to whether these workshops could truly be successful in helping create a positive mindset within these individuals who seemed so deprived or hopeless with regards to their own lives and to an extent, themselves entirely- and if so, how? However, the handbook then went on to explain how the Geese Theatre company existed to help provide the individuals they work with with tools to help change the direction of their own lives, as well as leading them down a path of self discovery. And not only did they explain their purpose and intention towards their participants, they went on to explain in great detail ways in which one could achieve a positive impact on these individuals through the facilitation and design of their workshops. The fact that they included these quotes from the participants, for me, made the reading entirely more meaningful.

Another section of the reading that stood out for me was a section informing the reader of techniques on facilitating and how to deal with resistance from participants. The heading of this section immediately peaked my interest as one of my biggest fears about taking on the role of facilitator was meeting with resistance or lack of cooperation from the participants. Towards the start of the section, the handbook even mentioned how resistance from participants could even be used to the workshop’s advantage. This immediately raised the question of how this would be possible as I personally found it difficult to imagine myself finding an adequate way to respond to resistance, let alone incorporate into the workshop itself. This, however, turned out to be one of the most useful and thought provoking sections in the reading as it went on to explain that most resistance from workshop participants is in fact entirely fear based and that the level of resistance is often measured in direct proportion with the participant’s level of fear. This knowledge in itself made me feel somewhat more confident with the thought of facilitating a workshop as I felt it provided some common ground between myself and the participants, knowing that the participants may well be feeling equally nervous about the workshop as myself. The handbook then went on to explain how one might make a participant’s reluctance part of the process, stating that if you are met with a negative comment, such as ‘this is stupid’ or ‘I can’t be dealing with this’, you can then go on to ask the participant why this exercise makes them feel that way, as the participant is most likely using a go-to reaction that they frequently revert to when placed in fearful and difficult situations and that if you respond negatively, the participant will shut down and the workshop will have no positive impact. You can then adapt your exercises accordingly to respect the participants fears and reservations, as well as helping them to explore the roots of the thoughts and feelings they are currently experiencing with regards to these exercises. Furthermore, If participants are nervous about or have negative preconceptions about acting, participants need not consider the drama based work to be acting at all. The typical concept of acting can be countered by phrases such as ‘lets bring that to life’, or ‘show us how that is for you’. We can also refer to activities, games and exercises as ‘examples’ or ‘experiments’. This is likely to make the process seem entirely more natural to participants that have negative or fearful responses to the workshops, thus creating a far safer and non-judgmental space for them. As well as explaining how to cope with resistance from participants in a positive way, I found this section of the reading very thought provoking and a helpful as it caused me to consider in further detail the feelings of fear and anxiousness that may be experienced by the participants as well as myself and therefore made the overall idea of running a workshop feel far more unified by placing myself and participants on the exact same level as one another.

The general philosophy of Applied Theater is known to be ‘the theatre of change’. Its methods frequently focus upon the personal exploration of the individual and creating a safe space in which the anonymous, oppressed and ignored can tell their stories, express themselves and talk back to the society in a risk free way. Geese Theatre appear to have these very same objectives and are very much focused on providing tools to their participants with which they themselves can use to make positive changes to their lives, as well providing them with the empowerment to speak and explore the roots of their own behavior, leading them into the enlightenment that they are in fact in control, regardless of the impulses they have been conditioned with due to prior negative experience. The workshops run by Geese Theatre seemed to be extremely interactive, allowing them to personalize their workshops to the individual, as well as respecting their fears and their comfort zones, further highlighting the concept of safety, which is a key component in the world of Applied Theatre. Like many Applied Theatre companies, Geese Theatre focuses on empowering the ‘oppressed’ individual and providing them with the confidence to change.

- E.A.

#Reading 2

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