thirdwaytheatre

TWT approaches theatre as means to creatively take back public spaces, in order to break normalising social and cultural silences. Through theatrical dialogues a potential space is created for a multiplicity of marginalised identities, and positions, to be voiced. This however requires practicing new ways of listening, reflecting, and acting that endorse  alternative consciousness – outside the warfare models of dialogue that focus on expert knowledge’s / right – wrong.   Theatre, in this way of understanding the word, is a tool for communities who have been acted on, and upon, to deconstruct dominating realities and representations through collectively exploring the complexity of lived experiences – in order to name their roads to be traveled that can lead towards justice, restoration – dignity.

TWT draws on the methods and commitment of Brazilian artist and activist, Augusto Boal. Boal systematized Theatre of the Oppressed (TO). TO is an arsenal of  techniques used to question realities of oppression; where certain voices are silenced, perceptions atrophied, and rights denied at great costs. Forum Theatre, one of the TO techniques TWT uses with, for and by community assists this aim. Our other work, such as “I am also her”, whilst not TO, nor Forum Theatre, also focuses on the above commitment. TWT is also indebted to Headlines Theatre’s framing of Boal’s work; in centering a practice committed to an ethical practice – telling the deepest truths, and stepping outside the simplifying complexity into naming the oppressed, oppressor, whilst still focusing on oppression and oppressive behaviors.