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Q. What is Forum Theatre?
A. “Forum Theatre is an interactive theatre form invented (or discovered) in the early 1970s by Augusto Boal. An audience is shown a short-ish play in which a central character (protagonist) encounters an oppression or obstacle which s/he is unable to overcome; the subject-matter will usually be something of immediate importance to the audience, often based on a shared life experience.
Then the play is restarted, usually from the beginning, and runs as before - but this time, whenever a 'spect-actor' (active audience member) feels the protagonist might usefully have tried a different strategy, s/he can stop the action, take the protagonist's place, and try his or her idea.
Through a session of Forum Theatre, many people will take the stage and show many different possibilities. In this way, the event becomes a kind of theatrical debate, in which experiences and ideas are rehearsed and shared, generating both solidarity and a sense of empowerment.” (cardboardcitizens.org.uk/textpopups/techniques)
Q. Why are you using Forum Theatre for 3 of your productions?
A. KINN appreciates that young people attending secondary school and youth clubs can feel unheard and can be harder to engage. KINN has taken the decision to use the medium of forum theatre to facilitate the young audience making the material contained in the play, relevant to them and their life styles.
Q. Why use theatre to teach?
A. We’ve noticed children learn best when they don’t know they are learning, it is something that happens while they are playing or having fun. KINN produces plays that engage children and appeal to their sense of humour. They soak up information because they can see its relevance.
Q. What are KINN’s Aims?
A.
- Provide unique theatre and workshops that are fun, stimulating, make sense to children and young people and help them to make better choices about healthy living.
- Target services towards areas of inequality and deprivation because cycles and areas of deprivation grow when they are not positively addressed. The organization also recognizes that often the most needy are the least able to access services or chose not to for fear of being judged negatively.
- Create plays with simple story lines and clear messages that make information accessible to every child, regardless of whether they can read, write or have English as a second language.
- Seek funding from statutory services and apply for fund-raising in order to provide a service to children and young people (where they gather collectively e.g. schools), that is of no or very little cost to their parents.
- To work in East Sussex especially in and around Hastings and where there is deprivation.
Q. Do you get funding for your plays?
A. KINN is aware that school budgets are limited and always actively seeks funding for their productions. The Pfizer Foundation is funding 3 plays in 2009, “The Love Trap”, “Smoke” and “Megan and the Mixed Up Buckets” making it possible to offer these plays to all schools in East Sussex at a very low cost or completely free if the school has a high percentage of children receiving free school dinners.
Local PCTs have also commissioned KINN to produce plays that address the health needs of the local population. These plays have either been fully or part funded, with schools being asked to make a small contribution.
Other funders include East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, Isabel Blackman Foundation, East Sussex County Council Seedcorn, Hastings Borough Council, Awards for All, Safer Hastings Partnerships and the Local Network Fund.
Q. How do we know the actors are safe and suitable?
A. KINN carries out enhanced CRB checks for all practitioners and company members including administration staff. KINN also takes up references. Young volunteers under the age of eighteen, helping KINN at “Playdays in the Park” don’t hold an enhanced CRB check and are instructed to not be alone with a child. All company members receive training in Child Protection.
Q. How much do your services cost?
A. This depends on the service and the location. Please contact KINN (contact details at the bottom of every page). KINN is a registered charity, we don’t make a profit, we keep our overheads low and always aims to be good value for money.
Q. How do we know that the plays will teach the children correct information?
A. KINN works with professionals to ensure the correct information about the subject matter is contained in the plays.
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