Another Week Beyond – 2321

May 26, 2023

Dear Friend,

Conversations that matter tend to be difficult ones. Even when people come together, they do not know where to start. Then when a problem is raised, those listening may get defensive and meaningful dialogue is stifled before it begins. Hence, to kickstart conversations about difficult issues, we adopted forum theatre in 2014 to generate awareness of problems within communities. Our community theatre programme has generated awareness on teenage pregnancy, school truancy, addictions, challenging family relationships, and youth crime and last Saturday, it tackled the issue of sexual harassment.

Facing an audience of 100 or so, 11 youths delivered “The Right Choice” a self-produced play at the Leng Kee Community Club. Sarah a teenager was distraught after her boyfriend imposed himself without her consent. Following which, when she spoke with family, friends, and her teachers, she did not find their responses helpful. Neither did the audience as many among them had clear views of how the person Sarah was speaking to could have responded.

Forum theatre encourages a member of the audience to stop a scene, go on stage and demonstrate to everyone how the situation could have been played out. He or she changes the dialogue, and the actor will respond accordingly while remaining in the role. Another member of the audience could respond to the intervention or introduce another, and the entire audience will be watching and perhaps reflecting on what they would have said or done. The theatre captivates so that a forum ensues. Quality theatre brings people together, but it is the quality of the forum that determines its value for us.

Sarah’s boyfriend was a dishy star student, and her friends minimised her experience and even inferred that she was lucky to have him. He was also captain of the school’s football team and Sarah sensed that the teacher taking down her complaint was more concerned about his potential absence from the team. Even her caregiver suggested that her dressing and behaviours would have led him on.

By sharing her story, Sarah stained the picture-perfect view others had of her boyfriend and it presented a situation in which they did not quite know how to respond. It also challenged them to clarify their values and confront their beliefs. Their ability to connect empathically with Sarah was hindered by what the information was stirring within them and how they were feeling.

A grandmother in the audience recognised this and she made her way to the stage to show the actor who was playing Sarah’s grandmother how to connect empathetically. Speaking gently in the Malay language, she asked Sarah if she was well. It was a huge contrast to the original script where the grandmother chided Sarah for getting into a relationship. Before she left the stage, the facilitator asked the grandmother to sum up her intervention briefly and she said, she believed that parenting must be gentle, understanding, and supportive and anyone in Sarah’s position must be supported.

It was a moment of connection between the young and old present.

For peace, community, and connection,

Gerard

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