A. Boal Theatre of the Oppressed
Augusto Boal was born in 1931 in Brazil. His parents were liberal. From an early age, he was interested in the theatre, arts. He used to say - "when I read a story and don't like it, I rewrite it".
Boal studied chemistry at Brazilian university, but never lost sight of his dream of theatre. After graduating he moved to New York, where he studied both chemistry and theatre.
Augusto returned to Brazil in 1955, but his choice was already clear. He started working at the Arena Theatre in Sao Paulo.
In 1967 political situation in Brazil worsened. In 1971 arrests and tortures began, Augusto Boal was arrested for three months, accused of crimes against Brazil and tortured. After international reaction he was released, but exiled from the country with his family.
TO was born in Brazil. First attempt was Newspaper theatre. Because of censorship, Brazil decided that he can use texts which are already censored.
A. Boal lived in other South American countries where Forum theatre was born.
Invisible theatre was created in Argentina. Image theatre helped people from different countries have dialogue without verbal expressions.
Later Augusto Boal was invited to work in Europe. At first he could not understand why people do not feel happy - they live in democracy, have all the freedom they need. Then he understood more about inner oppressors and created the method "Rainbow of Desire".
Brazil came back to Brazil and refined his last method - Legislative theatre.
A. Boal died in Rio de Janeiro in 2009. He was awarded UNESCO Pablo Picasso Medal in 1994 and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 2008.
