Theatre companies in Sabadell participate actively to combat rumours and stereotypes against foreigners

THEATRE COMPANIES IN SABADELL PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY TO COMBAT RUMOURS AND STEREOTYPES AGAINST FOREIGNERS

 

During May and June, El Ciervo, Kakaiba, Pendientes de un Hilo and Aferssi Teatre, as well as actors independently, have participated in a training workshop on Forum Theatre techniques related to rumours and stereotypes against immigration.

The sessions were held twice a week during two hours and a half in the building Estruch. Almost fifteen people have learned strategies and techniques to dismantle rumours and stereotypes against foreign population through performing situations we can experience in real life and becoming aware of their own rumours. Games, improvisations, body and emotional work and other theatre tools, helped actors to learn more about this technique, getting ready to adopt an active role as anti-rumour agents in their lives.

 

Theatre Forum or Theatre for development, or the so-called Theatre of the Oppressed, is a technique created by the Brazilian dramatist and pedagogue Augusto Boal during the ‘60s. The methodology of this technique is based on real life problematic situations which are performed during the play to create a thought- provoking impulse to the audience, starting a dialogue with them and inviting them to perform their opinion about the topic. From that moment, the audience starts thinking about more constructive solutions that can be used in our daily life. Therefore, audience becomes an actor (spect-actor) and gets ready to act in their surroundings. This is a pedagogic technique which transforms, not only individuals but the whole society, asking for their commitment. Theatre for development invites citizens to adopt an active role in social conflict resolution by finding, all together, more constructive alternatives that facilitate exchange, integration and coexistence.

As a result of this training, on June 4th from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., actors participating in that workshop will run a Forum Theatre session at Estruch Bar (140 Saint Isidre, Sabadell) where they will perform different situations that occur in our environment. At the same time, they will invite the audience to participate in the performance. Admission is free, however, capacity is limited.

This workshop is an activity integrated in the program Sabadell Anti-rumour Network which has been shaped from January 2014 until May 2015, thanks to the collaboration of Sabadell City Hall, entities and individuals. Within the framework of the European project C4i Communication for Integration, the network is working to fight intolerance, xenophobic demonstrations and in favour of social cohesion and coexistence.