Reactions to the first issue of Under Pressure

Beautiful things happened after we published the first issue of our newsletter. We had no idea that it would be welcomed in such measure. To take just a pick out of the reactions we have received so far:

"Thanks for your first newsletter....at the forum-theatrefestival in Vienna in October we spoke with Augusto about an internet.newsletter.project. and now it's here!"
(Barbara Pfaffenwimmer, Kardinal-König-Haus, Vienna, Austria).

"I am asking if I might publish a notice about Under Pressure in our Web/email newsletter, APInews....We have a constituency of about 500 who get our newsletter by email. They are interested in community.based art for social change and all know about and revere Boal. You would likely get a lot of new newsletter subscribers if I did this."
(Linda Burnham, editor of API-news, Saxapahaw, NC, USA)

"I am very pleased you have created this platform to exchange experiences, views and plans."
(Dani Lyndersay, director of Arts-in-Action, Trinidad, West Indies).

Platform for discussion
We also think it's necessary to have the opportunity to discuss the current hot topics of TO. There is a lot being published all over the world, but some authors must feel they are shouting into a hollow cave. Therefore, we want to open a discussion that attracted a lot of attention around the Vienna Festival, namely the question whether there is something like a required basic set of acting/joking abilities that everyone should learn before practicing TO, eventually leading to a "bottom line" profile for TO practitioners. Roberto Mazzini of Giolli gives us his point of view in his article on the Vienna Festival: Visions of change. Ronald Matthijssen of Formaat gives a reaction in an Editorial. If this or other topics are in need of world-wide discussion, please send your comments or articles to Formaat!

Under Pressure 1, January 2000