Forum Theatre
Forum Theatre is a participatory theatre form in which a short scene shows a problem that ends badly for its main character, and is then replayed so that audience members can stop the action, take that character's place and try a different way of handling it. Augusto Boal developed it in 1973 during a literacy programme in Peru, as part of his Theatre of the Oppressed. The audience members who step in are called spect-actors, and a facilitator known as the Joker runs the exchange between stage and audience.
Facilitation script
- 1
Warm-up games to get people moving, build trust and make stepping into the space feel normal.
15 min - 2
Introduce Forum Theatre and the roles of spect-actor and Joker. Present the prepared scene's context, or build a short scene with volunteers from a situation the group names.
15 min - 3
First performance of the anti-model, straight through.
5 min - 4
The Joker asks what people saw and where the protagonist could have acted differently, then explains the rules for stopping and replacing.
5 min - 5
Replay with interventions. After each one, ask the audience what changed and how realistic it was. Aim for several different interventions.
35 min - 6
De-role the actors, collect the strategies on a flip chart and ask what each person will take into the real situation.
15 min
Tips
Build the scene from a situation the group has lived, and make the failure clear and the opponent believable; a scene with an obvious fix produces no forum.
Brief the actors who play the resisting characters to give ground only when an intervention would work on such a person in reality.
As Joker, keep asking the audience and keep your own opinion out.
Agree beforehand that anyone may decline to step in, and never cast a participant to replay their own painful experience without their clear consent.
Common pitfalls
A scene in which the antagonist is a cartoon villain: interventions become speeches against the villain and nobody practises anything usable
Actors giving in too easily to an intervention: the audience watches a 'magic' solution succeed and leaves with false confidence
A Joker who evaluates interventions or reveals the right answer: the audience stops proposing and waits to be taught
Pressuring reluctant people to step in: they feel exposed and the room becomes unsafe for everyone else
Working with painful lived experiences without support or follow-up: participants can be left distressed after the performers have gone
Variations
Rehearsal for a difficult conversation: in leadership or change programmes, the scene shows a workplace situation such as a feedback talk or a meeting where someone is overruled, and participants try out approaches in turn. With professional actors: a prepared cast performs the anti-model and stays in role, which lowers the barrier for an audience with no theatre experience. Community projects in the original tradition run much longer: Participedia describes workshops of around six days, and projects extending over months. Remote version: actors play the scene on video with cameras on, the Joker pauses on a chat signal and the spect-actor takes over by unmuting, though physical presence is lost. Related forms from the Theatre of the Oppressed, such as Image Theatre, are often used as the warm-up.
Where it fits
When to use it
People know what they should do in a hard situation but fail to do it when the moment comes
A group shares an experience of being blocked, overruled or treated unfairly and wants to find ways to act
A training on conflict, feedback or inclusion needs practice with consequences instead of discussion of principles
A community wants to examine a local problem together and hear many proposed responses
There is enough time and trust for people to get up and act in front of others
When not to use it
The group has had no warm-up and little trust; start with simple Role Playing in pairs, where nobody performs in front of the room
The scene would replay someone's trauma or an ongoing abusive situation without support in place; work with trained practitioners and make mental health support available
The person who holds the power in the real situation is in the audience and participants cannot speak freely; use an anonymous or externally facilitated format
The problem is technical or procedural with no human antagonist; use a structured problem-solving method
It is a one-off session with a vulnerable community and no follow-up is planned; stirring up an issue and leaving does harm
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Forum Theatre?▾
Forum Theatre is a participatory theatre method created by Augusto Boal as part of the Theatre of the Oppressed. A short scene shows a problem ending in failure for the protagonist. It is then replayed, and audience members stop the action, replace the protagonist and test alternative ways of acting while the other actors respond in character.
What does the Joker do in Forum Theatre?▾
The Joker is the facilitator who stands between the stage and the audience. They explain the rules, invite interventions, and after each one ask the audience what changed and whether it would work in reality. The Joker stays neutral and does not offer solutions.
What is a spect-actor?▾
Spect-actor is Boal's term for an audience member who stops watching and takes part in the action. In Forum Theatre the spect-actor replaces the protagonist on stage to try out their own idea. The term expresses the aim of turning spectators into people who act.
How is Forum Theatre different from role play?▾
In a typical role play, participants are given roles and act out a scenario, often in pairs or small groups. Forum Theatre starts from one shared scene that fails, played in front of the whole group, and many people in turn try to change its outcome. The audience compares the attempts, so the learning is collective.
How long does a Forum Theatre session take?▾
A workshop session with a prepared short scene can be run in 60 to 150 minutes including warm-up and debrief; this is workshop practice, not a figure from Boal. Community projects in which the group develops its own play take far longer, from several days to months.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Augusto Boal, Theatre of the Oppressed.