Free US delivery on orders $35 or over

The Theatre of the Oppressed in Practice Today

An Introduction to the Work and Principles of Augusto Boal

The Theatre of the Oppressed in Practice Today cover

The Theatre of the Oppressed in Practice Today

An Introduction to the Work and Principles of Augusto Boal

Quantity
Pre-order. Available Jan 08 2026
$26.95 RRP $29.95 Website price saving $3.00 (10%)

Payment for this pre-order will be taken when the item becomes available

Description

How has the work and legacy of Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed been interpreted and practised around the world? What does it look like in different working contexts? The second edition of this book provides an accessible introduction to the political and artistic principles Boal's techniques are founded on, tracking exemplary practice from around the globe.

Using detailed contemporary case histories, theatre artist, scholar and activist Ali Campbell demonstrates how the underlying principles of Boal's practice are today enacted in the work of - among others - an urban network (Theatre of the Oppressed NYC), a rural and developmental theatre organisation (Jana Sanskriti, West Bengal), Boal's original company CTO Rio (Brazil), and a theatre-based group led by learning-disabled adults in the UK (The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company). The book concludes with a series of conversations between Campbell and international exponents of the work, envisioning futures for the Theatre of the Oppressed in the shifting political, educational and artistic contexts of the 21st century.

This new second edition includes:

- A new foreword by Professor Caoimhe McAvinchey (Queen Mary, University of London, UK)
- An additional conversation in Part 3 with internationally renowned artist and activist Tony Cealy
- A completely new Part 4, featuring creative encounters with groups of academics, artists, Indigenous activists and community multipliers from across the Amazonas region of Brazil. This section uses Ali Campbell's technique of Frame Throwing to render participants' experiences into expertise and extrapolates a recipe for the adaptation and customisation of the technique
- A new and final Part 5, told in the first person by the academic and Kuringa (Joker) Annie Martins, an Indigenous woman and theatre activist, who vividly addresses the challenges all practitioners face as they seek to decolonise their work

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements

Foreword to the Second Edition by Professor Caoimhe McAvinchey (Queen Mary University of London, UK)
Author's Introduction to the Second Edition

Part One: Principles in Practice
Prologue
Introduction: About Augusto Boal and the Aims of This Book

1. What Is Forum and How Does It Work?
2. Teaching and Training
3. How Do We Adapt Forum?
4. Collaboration
5. Ten Top Tips

Part Two: Companies and Conversations
Introduction: How These Four Studies Were Created and Why
Jana Sanskriti: Field Work
Theatre of the Oppressed NYC (TONYC): 'Radically Unsentimental'
The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company: 'Nurses Jump In. Teachers Don't'
CTO Rio: 'Given a Recipe, You Can Go and Do'

Part Three: Conversations
Introduction: About the People You Will Hear from in This Section
Angela El-Zeind
Jennifer Little
Barbara Santos
Osmar Araujo
Julian Boal
Mojisola Adebayo in conversation with Ali Campbell
Tony Cealy

Part Four: Frame Throwing in Amazonas

Part Five: Annie's Story

Glossary
Suggested Reading
Index

Product details

Explore Methuen Drama
Published Jan 08 2026
Format Paperback
Edition 2nd
Extent 320
ISBN 9781350445017
Imprint Methuen Drama
Illustrations 20 bw illus
Dimensions 9 x 5 inches
Series Performance Books
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Ali Campbell

Ali Campbell was trained and mentored by Boal and…

Foreword

Caoimhe McAvinchey

CAOIMHE MCAVINCHEY is Lecturer in Drama, Theatre a…

Related Titles

Environment: Staging