"
Illiterate
bards sang tales which involved repetition, concrete narration,
and performance that encompassed both the traditional and the
improvisational. Furthermore, while the experience was most definitely
designed to be fun, there was a higher purpose involved, centering
on the importance of remembrance and the transmission of a community's
most important truths " (Jonathan Fox, Founder of Playback
Theatre)
What
is Playback Theatre?
Playback Theatre is created through a unique collaboration between
performers and audience. Here the audience shares a feel, moment,
or a story from their life, and then these are enacted the the
actors on the spot, the audience get to watch their story is immediately
recreated and given artistic shape and coherence.
There
are 3 main section under playback: Fluids, stories, and conflicts.
There are newer sections introduced in playback theatre such as
echo, encounter and chorus.
Rhythm
of a performance
It starts with ice breakers to make audience feel comfortable.
Then few warm up questions are asked to audience which actors
then act spontaneously, after which the audience is asked to share
a incident from their lives which is then acted out spontaneously
by the actors.
There is no script, but there is a rhythm and sequence to a Playback
Theatre performance. The Conductor is the host and facilitator
of the process. After a period of introductions and warming up,
someone will volunteer to tell a story. It could be a short moment,
or about a longer event. They may be past, present or future stories.
They could be about a very special time or about something that
happens everyday. In the course of a performance 3, 4 or 5, maybe
more, people will come forward to tell a story in this way. Towards
the end of a performance, the conductor may invite reflections
on the process, and the team will create some sort of closure
appropriate for the event.
This
form of theatre is very entertaining and interactive. Audience feel
very important as the play is from their lives. They can connect
to it so it becomes a very enjoyable experience which they cherish
for the rest of their lives.
Playback
Theatre is a process that can be adapted to many settings. Playback
Theatre exists in three forms: (a) artistic, (b) therapeutic, and
(c) social/development
Past
theme-based Playback Theatre performance by Yours truly
Dreams
Spooky tales
Utsav - celebrating life (utsav in Hindi means festival)
100 miles away from home
18 till I die
Dollar Dreams
Friends are forever
Travelogues
Anubhav
series (anuhav in Hindi means experiences)
Anubhav @ Bangalore
Anubhav @ Auroville
Anubhav @ Mysore
Anubhav @ Vijayanagar
Relive series: Our current playback theatre series
"Re-live
15th August 1947": We invited senior citizens of Bangalore
who were part of the Indian Independence Struggle, freedom fighters,
to share their stories. The crowd comprised of audience with an
age group between 18-85 a great mix. This show performed on August
11, 2007 turned out to be high in intensity