Theatre Of The Oppressed (T.O.) is an educational method developed by Brazilian theatre director Augusto Boal during the 1950’s and 60’s. He used theatre as a tool for transformation; to tackle the overriding problems of the lives of ordinary people. Through a series of exercises, games, techniques and drama forms, the aim was to understand social reality, to then be able to change it. 

In T.O. the audience is not made of spectators. They become active, they become “spect-actors”. Everyone is invited to share their opinion on the issues at hand. One of the forms that would be covered in a T.O. training is called Forum Theatre; in which a scene or play is presented that shows a situation of oppression. The protagonist does not know how to fight against it and fails. The “spect-actors” are invited to suggest and enact (replacing the protagonist) exploring out all possible solutions, ideas and strategies. 

The game is a form of contest, between spect-actors trying to bring the play to a different end (in which the cycle of oppression is broken) and actors making every possible effort to bring it to its original end (in which the oppressed is beaten and the oppressors are triumphant). It’s about analysing, rather than accepting, asking questions rather than giving answers.