Towards a Dutch CTO

by Luc Opdebeeck, Artistic Director of Formaat

Rotterdam, December 2002: Formaat has completed a three-year experimenting phase, in which we researched the possible scope of Theatre of the Oppressed in the Netherlands. We look back upon wonderful experiences in almost all the areas of Dutch society. The variety of techniques that Theatre of the Oppressed has to offer makes it possible to work with almost every group of participants, in many different settings.

In 2000, the focus was on racism and moral development, in 2001 we concentrated on violence and legislative theatre and in the passing year we developed several projects with non-actors: homeless people, prisoners and children in underprivileged urban areas. The broadness of our activities and the fact that all the projects were developed in close collaboration with partners all over the country, has turned Formaat into a virtual institute. Next year, the institute must change from virtual to real: the creation of a Dutch CTO.

The task of a CTO
In our view, a CTO is more than just a theatre company producing Theatre of the Oppressed activities. A CTO should be a centre for continuous methodical development, and a point of transfer of the different techniques. We started off the first issue of Under Pressure with the caption “TO is needed”. In the passing three years we have observed just how much it is needed. More and more people working with the oppressed in schools, in neighbourhoods, in prisons, on the streets want to learn to use these techniques within the context of their own practice.

Access and ability to dialogue
This development is logical if you look at the basic goals of Theatre of the Oppressed: to enable human beings to engage in dialogue, thus creating real change. In order to enable dialogue, people must have access to it, but also regain the ability to do it. This explains the different focus Theatre of the Oppressed has in the world. In many countries, access to dialogue is denied and TO can be implemented to promote this access. In others, access is guaranteed legally but there is no actual dialogue because people have forgotten how. The images of oppression differ from country to country, but the effect is the same. In countries like the Netherlands, TO is needed to facilitate both access and ability. A CTO can be a centre for every person or institution that wants to learn how to perform this.

Formaat in 2003
Anticipating the founding of a Dutch CTO, which we hope to achieve by the end of 2003 or the beginning of 2004, we will already start to transfer TO techniques to others: social workers, teachers, football coaches and possibly prison staff. It is our conviction that if Theatre of the Oppressed wants to disseminate itself through society, there should be a multiplication process in which a CTO is the driving force. We simply don’t have enough people within our own organisation to do all the work.

Next year a number of projects will be launched, touching new areas like the world of sports (with the Forum Heads or Tails) and of public transport (with the Forum A Street Car Called Trouble), at least two legislative theatre projects involving people in underprivileged areas and a new Forum about bullying, which continues to be one of the most “common” forms of oppression. We invite all those interested, colleagues, students, drama teachers or anyone else to come and attend a performance. A CTO should also stimulate international exchange. We are looking forward to your visit!

Under Pressure 12/13, February 2003