Writing For Forum Theatre
7th September – 11th September 2015
10am- 6pm daily
Held at: Cardboard Citizens, 77a Greenfield Road, London, E1 1EJ
What is Forum Theatre?
Forum Theatre is an increasingly popular form of participatory theatre, used across the world in a variety of social settings – from activism to young people’s drama, harnessing theatre to engage audiences, mind, body and soul in debate around real current issues. Why is writing for Forum Theatre different and what makes effective Forum writing?
Tutors:
Led by experienced writer Sarah Woods, and leading Forum Theatre expert, Adrian Jackson, the week will be a mix of practical exercises and masterclasses; each of the participating writers or devisers will end the week with at the very least an outline of a Forum Theatre play. The course will feature guest sessions Forum Theatre playwrights such as Bola Agbaje, Kate Tempest and David Watson.
Structure:
Throughout this intensive week-long course, participants will investigate the delicate particularities of writing Forum Theatre. They will look at how to structure an engaging and provocative Forum Theatre piece that is authentic and invites maximum participation from its target audience. There are many ways of creating Forum Theatre. Whether co-creating with the community through devising or writing from research, one can benefit from understanding the dramaturgical arc of Forum.
Participants will explore this through sample R&D workshops, verbatim interviews to source material for Forum pieces and a range of writing exercises and games. Questions covered will range from ‘what does a well-made Forum play look like?’ to ‘what will most succesfully provoke an audience to action?’. The course will also touch on writing Forum for Legislative Theatre practice.
Guest playwrights will host mini masterclasses sharing their experience in writing Forum Theatre which will expose you to examples of different Forum Theatre styles. Detailed one-to-one feedback will be offered to each writer by Sarah and Adrian. The week will culminate with a reading of participants’ original Forum Theatre pieces by Cardboard Citizens actors to an invited audience of friends.
Who is it for?
The course is suitable for devisers, playwrights, social activists, theatre practitioners, community workers, teachers and youth workers.
Cardboard Citizens are acknowledged leaders in the UK in the practice of Theatre of the Oppressed techniques and have successfully been using Forum Theatre in working with marginalised groups for over 20 years.
Cost:
£384.00 Individuals/ Charity Rate
£490.00 Commercial Organisations
All prices include VAT
You can secure your place with a £100 deposit.
How to book: Bookings can be made via the course website.
Source: @Playwriting_UK