Out of several different tools of communication that can engage the communities in an interactive discussion ‘the Theatre of the Oppressed, also known as ‘Forum Theatre, is one of the most engaging approaches. In this process, the actors or audience members could stop a performance, often at a short scene in which a character is being oppressed in some way. The audience would suggest different actions for the actors to carry out on-stage in an attempt to change the outcome of what they are seeing. This method is an attempt to undo the traditional actor-audience partition and bring audience members into the performance, allowing a constructive way of finding solutions to a problem in front of them.
Shilpee Theatre Group, has actively taken part in the political and social movements of the country by practicing ‘Forum Theatre’. We have used theatre as a tool of expression for the cause of the marginalized and the oppressed, by performing the role of a facilitator in their struggle. Forum theatre can be used as ‘open spaces’ to raise the voice for the oppressed.
Successful Stories of Shilpee Theatre Group’s Forum Theatre practice:
- Forum theatre has supported in raising the voices of landless people in Bardiya and Kamlari girls in Dang. Communities of these regions had used this method to make their agendas visible and bring the discussion in a mainstream.
- The organization facilitated the Dalit Community to raise their voices (case of entering the DIDHDESHWOR Temple) in Dati using Forum theatre. It helped the Dalit community to make their voice more noticeable.
- Shilpee Theatre Group has collected views and agendas from the public using this method and have submitted them to the Constitution Assembly. The organization also used this method in publication houses like in Kantipur Publication, Himalaya Times Daily, and in a garment factory in old Baneshwor to solve their organizational problems.
- Using Forum theatre in Sunakothi on the issue of a sanitation problem, Shilpee Theatre Group facilitated the youth of Sunakothi to work on this problem. As a result, they decided to clean the town every Saturday.
Forum Theatre List
Kalpana ra Urmila Dukha ma Chhan
The play ‘Kalpana ra Urmila Dukha ma Chhan’ is a 45 Minutes play with 7 scenes. The story revolves around two protagonists Kalpana and Urmila. The story of Kalpana is one of an oppressed daughter-in-law who is struggling to prove her honesty and loyalty. The story of Urmila is of a teenage girl who is suffering the impact of child marriage.
Script : Improvisation
Director: Ghimire Yubaraj
Performance Location: 33 locations of 8 districts: Surkhet, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Bardiya, Kanchanpur, Rolpa, Morang, Sunsari
Date: 2076-06-28 to 2076-07-24
Artists: Manju Shrestha, Pabitra Khadka, Sangita Uranw, Smarika Phuyal, Namrata Aryal, Sabin Kattel, Jhakendra B.C, Manhang Lawati, Rabin Pariyar, Govinda Oli, Jack
Baral, Himal Bhujel
Following the success of first tour, Kalpana ra Urmila dukhama chhan was improvised in Maithili language under the name of Kalpana aa Urmila dukhme Achi.
Performance Location: 6 locations of 2 districts: Dhanusa and Mahottari
Date: 2076-08-17 to 2076-08-22
Artists: Priyanka Jha, Pabitra Khadka, Sangita Uranw, Smarika Phuyal, Rina Rimal, Sabin Kattel, Jhakendra B.C, Manhang Rajesh Saxsena, Rabin Pariyar, Govinda Oli,
Jack Baral, Himal Bhujel
Shilpee Theatre is doing a month long forum theatre tour in eight different districts of Nepal. These are the photos…
Posted by Shilpee Theatre Nepal on Thursday, October 31, 2019
Madesh Terai
This forum theatre play addressed the issues of regional conflict in Nepal. The play was performed in that time when the ‘Madesh Andolan’ (Madeshi Movement) was taking its momentum.
Script : Improvisation
Director: Ghimire Yubaraj
Performance Location: Various places of Terai Plains From Rajbiraj to Nepalgunj
Date : 2064-8-21 onwards
Artists: Rajan Khatiwada, Ghimire Yubaraj, Sitamaiya Shrestha, Srijan Shrestha, Mahes Shrestha, Ganga Prasad Tiwari, Ram Narayan Thakur, Rabindra Jha, Priyanka Jha, Sundari Kewat, Rabindra Thakur, Ram Jeevan Yadav, Shrijana Shrestha
Adhyaro Biruddha
The play ‘Adharyo Biruddha’ is related to the issues of federalism and constitution in New Nepal.
Script : Improvisation
Director: Rajan Khatiwada
Performance Location: Kathmandu, Narayanghad, Hetauda, Chandra nigahapur etc
Date: 2065-2066
Artists: Loonibha Tuladhar, Ghimire Yubaraj, Jeevan Baral, Renuka Karki, Ganga Prasad Tiwari, Durga Baraili, Rajan Khatiwada, Surya Chudali, Gopal Aryal, Sabina Badal
Naari
Nari play is focused on various type of violence faced by women in their day to day life.
Naari Part 1
Script : Improvisation
Director: Ghimire Yubaraj
Performance Location: Patan, Basantapur and 21 districts of Terai, 60 performances
Date: 2068-12-8 to 2069-1-1
Artists: Kamalmani Nepal, Rabindra Jha, Sarita Shah, Manju Giri, Amrita Thapaliya, Chandra Pandey, Manoj Patel, Chanda Chaudhari, Renuka Karki, Siwani Chaudhari, Anju Deuja, Durga Baraili, Jeevan Baral, Sudam Chatkuli, Govinda Parajuli
Naari Part 2
Date: 2069-8-17 to 2069-8-20
Performance Location: Rautahat, Sarlahi, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Siraha, Saptari, 10 performances
Naari Part 3
Date: 2069-12-1
Performance Location: Dhulikhel, 1 performance
Naari Part 4
Performance Location: Kavre, Makwanpur, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Inaruwa, Ilam, Dharan, Panchthar, 40 performances
Date: 2070-4-22 to 2070-5-6
Naari Part 5
Performance Location: Gothale Natakghar
Date: 2070-9-13
Naari Part 6
Performance Location: PSI Office Sanepa
Date: 2070-9-26
Biltu Birami Chha
This Play revolves around the issues related to the constitution assembly.
Biltu Birami Chha Part 1
Script : Improvisation
Director: Ghimire Yubaraj
Performance Location: Martin Chautari, Jhapa, Biratnagar, Dang, Janakpur, Hotel Park Village
Date: 2069-5-1 to 2069-5-10
Artists: Govinda Parajuli, Bipin Karki, Kamal mani Nepal, Jeevan Baral, Bholaraj Sapkota, Loonibha Tuladhar, Ram Babu Regmi, Aruna Karki, Rabindra Jha, Ruru Pokhrel, Ghanasyam Joshi, Pramila Katuwal
Biltu Birami Chha Part 2
Date: 2069-8-11 to 2069-8-13
Performance Location: Martin Chautari, Basantapur, Patan Durbar Square
Dahitan Dheki
A play is about the culture and its negative side effects on womenfolk of the Tharu community of western Terai.
Dahitan Dheki Part 1
Director: Ghimire Yubaraj
Script: Outcome from workshop organized by Shilpee
Performance Location: Kirtipur Auditorium, Kapilvastu, Baanke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Dang, Tanahu, 40 performances
Date: 2070-2-5 in Kirtipur and 2070-2-7 to 2070-2-18
Artists: Sanjita Rijal, Siwani Chaudhari, Chanda Chaudhari, Paru Tharu, Deepak Singh, Niraj Chaudhari, Pravesh Chaudhari, Ramesh Kumar Chaudhari, Raju Pandey, Rituraj Gupta
Dahitan Dheki Part 2
Date: 2070-5-18 to 2070-5-19
Total performance: 4
K Lagyo Halkale
K Lagyo Halkale Part 1
Script: Improvisation
Director: Ghimire Yubaraj
Performance Location: Surkhet, Dailekh, Salyan, Rolpa, Piuthan, Rukum, Jajarkot, 28 performances
Artists: Prakriti Karki, Sarita Shah, Jeevan Baral, Chanda Chaudhari, Badal Bhatta, Tanka Tiger, Roshan Meheta, Pravash Ghimire, Kiran Chamling, Hemanta AD
K Lagyo Halkale Part 2
Performance Location: 12 locations in Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Doti, Acham
Date: 2070-8-21 to 2070-8-28
K Lagyo Halkale Part 3
Performance Location: Basantapur Dabali
Date: 2070-8-25
Kacho Mato
A play is about the problems and confusion of the Nepalese youths.
Kacho Mato Part 2
Director: Loonibha Tuladhar
Performance Location: 3 Locations in Baanke, Kailali, Parsa
Date: 2070-7-9 to 2070-7-14
Artists: Manoj Tamang, Sabharanta Thapa, Kala Sangraula, Kusu Pokhrel, Sabina Badal, Nabin Chauhan, Manju Giri, Chhoti Sherpa, Manish Gandarva
Kacho Mato Part 2
Performance Location: Gyaneshwor
Date: 2070-8-6
Kursi Khali Chha
The play raises three major problems faced by locals due to lack of locally elected bodies. First, land encroachment by land mafias in the name of plotting the cultivating land ignoring the environmental hazard, secondly, tedious protocols local have to face in minor issues like issuing citizenship cards, registration of birth or death, building schools and infrastructure, etc. And thirdly, the hassles people face due to frequent changes in the local leaders who do not understand the local problems as s/he is appointed by the central government.
Performance Location: Gothale Natakghar, Basantapur Dabali, New Road, Bhrikuti Mandap, Jorpati, Gausala, Mitrapark and various places
Date:
Artists: Chandra Prasad Pandey, Ganga Prasad Tiwari, Jeevan Baral, Roshan Meheta, Badal Bhatta, Prakriti Karki, Sarita Shah, Sonam Lama, Manoj Tamang
Tripal
The play is about post earthquake scenario of Nepal. Play is about various problems faced by earthquake survivors.
Script: Improvisation
Director: Ganga Tiwari
Performance Location: Kavre, Sindupalchowk, Lalitpur, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Dhading, Nuwakot and Rasuwa.
Date: 14.06.2072 to 29.06.2072
Artists: Shanti Waiba, Santosh Tamang, Sarita Shah, Sonam Pakhrin, Sabin Kattel, Nima Lama, Sharmila Lama, Pravash Ghimire, Samrant Thapa, Abisan Tamang.