Introduction to Theatre of the Oppressed

No previous experience is required. The course is designed so that motivated students will benefit from the training. We expect you to undertake a certain amount of self-directed study and preparation out with class times.

Students should be open, honest, generous, respectful, hard-working and willing to work as part of a team.

The course runs over six weeks and is led by Nina Scott, a Theatre of the Oppressed practitioner, facilitator and lecturer.

Sessions are highly practical and participatory, combining theatre games, movement-based exercises, improvisation, devising and facilitated discussion. Participants engage through experiential learning, developing practical skills in participatory theatre and facilitation while exploring ideas physically and collaboratively.

Early sessions focus on ensemble-building and introducing the core principles of Theatre of the Oppressed through games and “de-mechanisation” exercises developed by Augusto Boal. These activities develop body awareness, listening and collective responsiveness while demonstrating how the body can be used to analyse social dynamics.

Participants will then work with Image Theatre, creating and analysing physical tableaux that explore relationships of power, conflict and resistance. Working in small groups, they will transform these images and begin developing short improvised scenes based on real-life situations and social issues.

In later sessions, participants will learn the structure of Forum Theatre, creating scenes that can be replayed with audience interventions. Through this process, participants test different responses to challenging situations, using theatre as a rehearsal space for social change.

Learning modes include:

• Experiential learning through games, movement and practical theatre exercises
• Collaborative devising in pairs and small groups
• Critical reflection and discussion on power, oppression and social dynamics
• Facilitated dialogue connecting exercises to wider social and political contexts

Nina facilitates all sessions, modelling facilitation approaches and supporting participants in developing their work. Time is built into each session for group reflection, helping participants connect the exercises to their own artistic, educational or activist practice.

No formal self-directed study is required, though participants may wish to reflect between sessions on experiences or social issues they would like to explore through theatre. Optional readings or short videos may also be suggested.

The course concludes with an informal sharing of Forum Theatre scenes, followed by reflection on how these techniques can be applied in artistic, educational and community contexts.

No prior theatre experience is required to take part in this course, and participants are not expected to prepare performance material in advance. The course is designed to be accessible to people from a range of backgrounds, including theatre makers, facilitators, activists and those interested in participatory arts or social change.

Participants will be encouraged to arrive with curiosity, openness and a willingness to participate in collaborative and movement-based exercises. Theatre of the Oppressed relies on collective exploration and discussion, so a readiness to share ideas, listen to others and reflect on personal and social experiences will support the learning process.

In advance of the first session, participants may be invited to reflect on a social issue, everyday situation, or experience of conflict or injustice that they feel comfortable exploring through theatre. These reflections may provide starting points for image-making and scene development later in the course, although participants will not be required to share anything personal if they prefer not to.

Optional preparatory material may be suggested for those who wish to familiarise themselves with the practice before the course begins. This could include short readings or videos introducing Theatre of the Oppressed and the work of Augusto Boal.

During the course, participants may also find it useful to keep a simple reflective notebook or diary to record observations, ideas or questions that arise from the exercises. This is not a formal requirement but can support deeper reflection on the techniques and discussions explored in each session.

Nina Scott

Nina Scott (they/them), is a theatre maker, facilitator and lecturer with over fifteen years’ experience working across theatre, higher education, community arts and grassroots activism. Nina teaches Theatre of the Oppressed at the Ulex Project, where they have worked with over 450 activists and organisers from across Europe and beyond. They are also a lecturer in Theatre for Social Change at Rose Bruford College and have taught Theatre of the Oppressed at the University of East London, University of Roehampton and Queen Mary’s University.

Nina trained in Theatre of the Oppressed with the internationally renowned Jana Sanskriti Centre for Theatre of the Oppressed in 2018, one of the world’s leading organisations working in the tradition of Augusto Boal. Their facilitation approach combines rigorous Theatre of the Oppressed methodology with a strong emphasis on accessibility, critical reflection and collective learning.

Nina has ran courses and workshops in TO with multiple grassroots organisations including Eviction Resistance Network, Radical Housing Network, London Renters Union and the Trans Sex Workers Union (Kalkutta). In these contexts, participatory theatre has been used for community organising, political education, collective strategy and creative protest.

Nina has also developed Theatre of the Oppressed as a queer methodology, facilitating work with LGBTQ+ groups exploring identity, power and liberation through participatory performance, and integrating theatre with other creative practices such as music, singing and songwriting.

Alongside their practice, Nina completed an MA in Applied Theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London (First Class, 2021), writing several academic essays on Theatre of the Oppressed, facilitation and socially engaged performance.

This breadth of experience means the course is grounded not only in theatre practice but also in real-world applications of Theatre of the Oppressed within activism, community organising, education and socially engaged art. Participants will gain practical insight into how these techniques can be used beyond the rehearsal room – in workshops, classrooms, community spaces and social movements.

This course will run in person on Tuesdays evenings for 6-weeks from 16 February – 23 March 2027, 6pm – 8.30pm.

The course fee is £195, and can be paid in full or in instalments before the course end date.