THE FEASIBILITY OF USING BOAL’S LEGISLATIVE THEATRE METHOD IN TAIWAN

 

A Thesis

Presented to

The Faculty of the Department of Theatre Arts

San Jose State University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts

by

Kelly Ju-Hsin Hsieh

May 2004

ABSTRACT

THE FEASIBILITY OF USING BOAL’S LEGISLATIVE THEATRE METHOD IN TAIWAN

by Kelly J. Hsieh

Augusto Boal, a Brazilian director and the founder of “Theatre of the Oppressed” (TO) theatrical method, invented “Legislative Theatre” when he was elected to be a city councilor in Rio. Boal’s TO technique was imported to Taiwan in 1992. Though Taiwan has not used Boal’s newest technique, Legislative Theatre, many “Theatre in Education” and “People’s Theatre” workshops have taken place using the TO technique. This thesis applies historical method to discuss the development of TO in Taiwan R.O.C., and a phenomenological approach to analyze a workshop, Theatre of the Oppressed: The Spect-Actor of Legislative Theatre in Hsintien, Taiwan R.O.C. in 2003.

This workshop consisted of a phenomenology, studying participant observation, analysis of a personal diary, survey, and interviews with Boal, and other experts. With some variation, results of this workshop indicate that Legislative Theatre could help further the aim of making people able to voice their opinions to the legislators.

 

 

Table of Contents

List of the Tables………………………………………………………………………. vii

List of the Figures………………………………………………………………………viii 

Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………..…….1

                        Definition…………………………………………………………………7

Chapter 2: Background Summary………………………………………………….........11

                        Analysis of Augusto Boal………………………………………….…….11

                        Theatre of the Oppressed…………………………………….…….…….12

                        Defining Legislative Theatre………………………………………….....19

                        Taiwan’s Contemporary Theatre……………………………….….…….22

                        Theatre of the Oppressed in Taiwan…………………………….…….…23

                        Summary……………………………………………………….…….…..33

Chapter 3: Applying Legislative Theatre in Taiwan………………………………..........34

                        Motivation ……………………………………………………………….35                              

                        Expert Opinion Before the Actual Performance…………………….…...38

                        Sponsors……………………………………………………………….....40

                        Teacher Credentials and Curriculum Design………………………….....42

                        Student Recruitment and Promotion Work………………………………45

                        Description of “Theatre of the Oppressed: The Legislative Theatre Spect-

Actor in Hsintien Workshop”……………………………………………49

Conclusion………………………………………………………….……76

Chapter 4: Evaluation of the Legislative Theatre Workshop in Taiwan………………..78

                        Analysis of Promotion Results………………………………………….78

                        Analysis of Curriculum…………………………………………………85

                        Analysis of Participants……………. …………………………………..92

Analysis of the Program’s Objectives and Participants’ Objectives for Participation……………………………………………………………..93

                        Analysis of the Process of Creating the Script…………………………..98

Summary………………………………………………………………..102

Chapter 5: Conclusion………………………………………………………………….108

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………120

Appendices

A.   A Rough Draft of a Workshop Proposal to Apply for the Funding in Taiwan………………………………………………………………………128

B.    Survey………………………………………………………………………136

C.    Legislative Theatre Workshop in Hsintien News…………………………..138

 

Bibliography

English:

 

Ancona, George. Carnaval. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company. 1999.

 

Andreasen, John. “Community Plays-A search for Identity.” Theatre Research

International vol. 21: 72-78.

 

Beattie, Peter M. The Tribute of Blood: Army, Honor, Race, and Nation in Brazil,

1864-1945 Durham & London: Duke University Press. 2001.

 

Bellos, Alex. Futebol: Soccer, The Brazilian Way. New York: Bloomsbury. 2002.

 

Boal, Augusto Theatre of the Oppressed. Trans. Charles A. and Maria-Odilia Leal

McBride. New York: Theatre communications Group Inc, 1985.

 

---. The Rainbow of Desire: the Boal method of theatre and therapy. Trans. Adrian

Jackson. New York: Routledge. 1994.

 

---. Games for Actors and Non-Actors. Trans. Adrian Jackson.New York: Routledge.

1992.

 

---. Legislative Theatre: Using Performance to Make Politics. Trans. Adrian

Jackson.New York: Routledge. 1998.

 

---. Hamlet and the Baker’s Son: My Life in Theatre and Politics. Trans. Adrian

Jackson.New York: Routledge. 2001.

 

---. Interview with Schechner, Richard and Chatterjee, Sudipto. “Augusto Boal, City

Councilor: Legislative Theatre and the Chamber in the Streets.” The Drama

Review Winter vol. 42 (1998): 75.

 

---. Interview with Taussig, Michael and Schechner, Richard. “Boal in Brazil, France, the

USA: An Interview with Augusto Boal. The Drama Review Fall vol.34

(1990):50-65.

 

---. Interview with Cohen-Cruz, Jan and Schutzman, Mady. “Theatre of the Oppressed

Workshops with Women: An Interview with Augusto Boal. The Drama Review

Fall vol.34 (1990): 66-76.

 

---. “Invisible Theatre: Liege, Belgium, 1978.” The Drama Review Fall vol.34 (1990):

24-34.

 

---. “The Cop in the Head: Three Hypotheses.” The Drama Review Fall vol.34 (1990):

35-42.

 

---. “A Letter from Augusto Boal to Schechner, Richard.” 1994. New York University &

Massachusetts Institute of Techno.

 

Bradby, David and McCormick, John. People’s Theatre. New Jersey: Rowman and

Littlefield. 1978.

 

Bristol, Michael D. Carnival and Theater. New York and London: Methuen. 1985.

 

Carlson, Marvin. Theories of The Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey, from the

Greeks to the Present. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press. 1993.

 

Chung, Mingder. The Little Theatre Movement of Taiwan (1980-89): In Search of

Alternative Aesthetics and Politics. NYU and Michigan: UMI Dissertation

Services 1992.

 

Cless, Downing. “Eco-theatre, USA: the Grassroots is Greener.” The Drama Review Fall

vol. 40 (1996): 79-103.

 

Cohen-Cruz, Jan. “Boal at NYU: a Workshop and its Aftermath.” The Drama Review

Fall vol.34 (1990):43-49.

 

Conniff, Michael L. A History of Modern Latin America. Florida: Harcourt Brace &

Company 1999.

 

Davis, David and O’Sullivan, Carmel. “Boal and the Shifting Sands: The Un-Political

Master Swimmer.” New Theatre Quarterly August vol. 16 (2000): 288-297.

 

Davis, R G. The San Francisco Mime Troupe: the first ten years. Palo Alto, California:

Ramparts Press. 1975.

 

Delgado, Maria M. and Heritage, Paul. Ed. In Contact with The Gods? Directors Talk

Theatre. Manchester and New York: Manchester University press 1996.

 

Eakin, Marshall C. Brazil: The Once and Future Country. New York: St. Martin’s

Press. 1997.

 

Forward, Susan. Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear,

Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You. New York:Harper Collins. 1998.

 

Graver, John W. Face Off: China, the United States, and Taiwan’s Democratization.

Seattle and London: University of Washington Press. 1997.

 

Heritage, Paul. “The Courage to be Happy: Augusto Boal, Legislative Theatre, and the

7^th International Festival of the Theatre of the Oppressed.” The Drama Review

Fall vol. 38 (1994): 25-35.

 

Holderness, Graham. The Politics of Theatre and Drama. New York: St. Martin;s Press.

1992.

 

Homan, Sidney. The Audience as Actor and Character: The Modern Theater of

Beckett, Brecht, Genet, Ionesco, Pinter, Stoppard, and Williams. London and

Toronto: Associated University Presses. 1989.

 

Krich, John. Why is This Country Dancing? A One-Man Samba to The Beat of Brazil.

New York: Simon & Schuster. 1993.

 

Landy, Robert J. Drama Therapy: Concepts, Theories and Practices. Charles C

Thomas Ltd. 1994.

 

Mainwaring, Scott. The Catholic Church and Politics in Brazil, 1916-1985. California:

Stanford University Press. 1986.

 

Marsh, Robert M. The Great Transformation: Social Change in Taipei, Taiwan Since

the 1960’s. Armonk, New York, London, England: M.E. Sharpe. 1996.

 

Martinez- Lara, Javier. Building Democracy in Brazil: The Politics of Constitutional

Change, 1985-95. New York: ST. Martin’s Press, INC., 1996.

 

Parrish, Geov. War on the docks – West coast waterfronts paralyzed by labor

dispute Working gorchange.com 2 October 2002.

 

Paterson, Douglas L. “A Role to Play for the Theatre of the Oppressed.” The Drama

Review Fall vol. 38 (1994):37-50.

 

Perlman, Janice E. The Myth of Marginality: Urban Poverty and Politics in Rio de

Janeiro. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press. 1976.

 

Piscator, Erwin. Political Theater. New York: Avon Books. 1929.

 

Rigger, Shelley. From Opposition To Power: Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party.

Boulder,London: Lynne Rienner Publishers. 2001.

 

Rocha, Jan. Brazil in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture. New York:

Interlink Books. 1997.

 

Roett, Riordan. Brazil: Politics in a Patrimonial Society. London: Praeger. 1992.

 

Rohd, Michael. Theatre for Community, Conflict & Dialogue: The Hope Is Vital

Training Manual. Heinemann. 1998.

 

Schneider, Ronald M. Brazil: Culture and Politics in a New Industrial Powerhouse.

Colorado: Westview Press, INC. 1996.

 

Schutzman, Mady. Playing Boal: Theatre, Therapy, Activism New York: Routledge,

1994.

 

---. “Activism, Therapy, or Nostalgia? Theatre of the Oppressed in NYC.” The Drama

Review Fall vol.34 (1990): 77-83.

 

---. and Cohen-Cruz, Jan. Ed. Playing Boal: Theatre, therapy, activism. London and New

York: Routledge. 1994.

 

Selcher, Wayne A. Political Liberalization in Brazil: Dynamics, Dilemmas, and

Future Prospects. Colorado: Westview Press, INC., 1986.

 

Skidmore, Thomas E. Modern Latin America. New York: Oxford University Press,

Inc. 1989.

 

Smith, Joseph. History of Brazil, 1500-2000: Politics, Economy, Society, Diplomacy.

London: Pearson Education Limited. 2002.

 

Stepan, Alfred C. Rethinking Military Politics: Brazil and the Southern Cone. New

Jersey: Princeton. 1988.

 

Teatro Brasileiro. Ed. Taylor, Diana. “Theatre in Brazil 1968 to the Present.” The Drama

Review vol. 44 (2000): 22-24.

 

United States. Dept. of Committee on Foreign Affairs House of Representatives. Political

Trends in Taiwan Since the Death of Chiang Ching-Kuo. Washington: U.S.

Government Printing Office, 1989.

 

Van Erven, Eugene Van. Community Theatre: Global Perspectives. London and New

York: Routledge. 2001.

 

Vine, Christopher. TIE and Theatre of the Oppressed. In Tony Jackson (ed.),

Learning through theatre: new perspectives on Theatre in Education. (109-

130). New York: Routledge. 1993.

 

Weller, Robert P. Alternate Civilities: Democracy and Culture in China and Taiwan.

Boulder: Westview Press. 1999.

 

Chinese:

 

Chung, Chiao. Cry of Asia 亞洲的吶喊 Taipei: Bookman Books Ltd. 1994.

 

---. Please Stand Up, Audiences觀眾請站起來. Taipei: Cross Border Cultural and

Educational Foundation. 2003.

 

Chung, Mingder. The Little Theatre Movement of Taiwan- In Search of Alternative

Aesthetics and Politics. 台灣小劇場運動史. Taipei: Yang-Chih Book. 1999.

 

---. From Realist Drama to Postmodernist Drama從寫實主義到後現代主義. Taipei:

Bookman Books Ltd. 2001.

 

Diamond, Catherine. Actors Are Lunatics and the Audiences Are Sillies: 10 years

observation of Taiwan’s theatre and audiences (1988-1998). Taipei: Bookman

Books Ltd. 2000.

 

Landy, Robert J. Drama Therapy: Concepts, Theories and Practices.戲劇治療:概念,理論

與實務. Trans. Wang, Chu-Ron etc. Taipei: Psychological Publishing Company.

1998.

 

Lee, Li-Hen. My Theatre Handbook. 我的看戲隨身書. Taipei: Bookzone. 2000.

 

Lin, Wei-u. Contemporary Community Theatre in Taiwan. 當代台灣社區劇場.

Taipei: Yang-Chih Book. 2000.

 

Muo, Chao Ju. People Theater and Local Democracy 民眾劇場與草根民主 Taipei:

Kojin Book, 1994.

 

Qui, Kuelian. Taiwan’s Theatre and the Culture Exchange台灣劇場與文化變遷. Taipei:

Taiyuan press. 1997.

 

The News Bureau of Taipei County Government. The New Taipei County, The Better

Life 新北縣,好生活. Taipei: Taipei County Government, 1996.

 

 

Tainanes Theatre. Green Tide Project- Theatre in Education, TIE在那湧動的潮音

中-教習劇場TIE. Taipei: Yang-Chih Book. 2001.

 

 

Electric References:

 

Linds, Warren. “Burrowing Below Ground or Just Scratching the Surface: A Critique

of Theatre of the Oppressed as Anti-Racist Praxis.” University of British

Columbia. May 15, 1997. <http://www.lib.wmc.edu/pub/jcp/issueI-2/ linds.html>.

 

American Association of Community Theatre website. AACT. 20 April 2003.

<http://www.aact.org/index.htm>.

 

Assignment Theatre Homepage. 7 August 2002

<http://www.cca.gov.tw/test/Assignment/>.

 

Taiwan People’s Theatre – interview Chung Chiao. November 1996.

<http://p15.kimo.com.tw/bio_theatre/a_2_10.htm>.

 

Office of the President Republic of China official website. Government of R.O.C.

            2 April 2003 <http://www.president.gov.tw/index_e.html>.

 

The Wings of South Community’s Culture-Wu-Cho Theatre. Yu, Nien-Min. June

1996. South Community’s Culture Website. 7 August 2002. <http://www.south.nsysu.edu.tw/sccid/today/vitality/99/06/vi990602.html>.

 

Local Culture and Globalization. Chen, I-Chiun. 18 April 2003. Cha-Hua County

Government Website. 18 April 2003. <http://www.bocach.gov.tw/iulin-911028a.htm>.

 

Activities Board: Shi-Gang Mama Theatre Performance. 12 September 2002. South

Community Culture Website. 18 April 2003. <http://www.esouth.org/comm20020902-0913.htm>.

 

Education Theatre Workshop Schedule. Shu-Ya Lai. Wen-Shan Community

University 17 March 2003. <http://tcu.taconet.com.tw/course/902/livelihood/902210.txt>.

 

The Summary of Taiwan’s Community Theatre. Shu- Ya Lai. May 2001.

Community Republic web. 23 March 2003.

<http://www.ceformosa.org.tw/%B0%F2%AA%F7%B7|/books/%A4%E5%A4%C6%B5%F8%B5%A1/2001-05%A4%E5%A4%C6%B5%F8%B5%A129%B4%C1/e-7.htm>.

 

Performing Arts of National Award for Arts: 1997 Winner: Lee, Hugh K.S.

Introduction. Jan. 1996. National Culture and Arts Foundation R.O.C. 6 March 2003

<http://www.ncaf.org.tw/G/INDEX.htm>.

 

Mei Lianfang Introduction. Mei Lianfang Memorial Museum 2002. Mei Lianfang

Memorial Museum Homepage. January 20 2004

<http://www.meilanfang.com.cn/mlf/english.htm>.

Other References:

 

Huang, Yijiao. Letter to the author. 21 March 2003.

 

Boal, Augusto. “Re: This is a theatre graduate student from Taiwan.” E-mail to the author.

10 October 2002.

 

---. “Re: Carnival” E-mail to the author. 9 March 2003

 

Lai, Chin-Lin. “Re: Legislative Theatre Workshop.” E-mail to the author. 3 February

2003.

 

Ke, Luluo. Legislative Theatre Workshop Dairy. Trans. Kelly Hsieh. 3 November 2003

 

The Introduction of The Taipei County Labor Theatre and Its First. Dir. Shu-Ya Lai. Perf.

Taipei County Residents. Taipei County Labor Theatre. Videocassette, 2001.

 

The Legislative Theatre Workshop in Hsintien. Dir. Kelly Ju-Hsin Hsieh. Perf. Hsintien

City Citizen. Wen-Shan Weekly. Videocassette, 2003.

 

Interview Data:

 

Boal, Augusto. A director, a councilor and the founder of “Theatre of The Oppressed” in

Brazil. Informal interview after class. June 6-14, 2003.

 

Lai, Shu-Ya. The teacher of Taipei County Labor Theatre and the interpreter of

Theatre of the Oppressed. Chinese version. Personal interview. 8 August 2002

 

Lee, Hugh K. S. Art Director, Ping-Fong Acting Troupe. Personal interview. 31 May

to 10 August 2002. Telephone interview. 11 February 2003.

 

Lin, Zhenchun. A professor in the department of Department of Adult and Continuing

Education at National Taiwan Normal University. Personal interview. 3

November 2003.

 

Lectures:

 

Boal, Augusto. “Augusto Boal in L.A.-2003.” CTO/ATA/LA, University of South

California, Los Angeles. June 6-14, 2003.

 

“The basic acting training workshop.” Godot Theatre Troupe, Taiwan, 2000.

 

KMT Revolutionary Practices Research Academy. “Women Training: Election Propaganda

Training Workshop.” Kuomintang, 1994.

top of page