Examining Power Balance & Legislative Theatre:

Identifying interpersonal dynamics and power inequalities within a personal or professional environment is key. In our personal, professional or social experience, we may struggle to understand why someone is behaving in a certain way. We may in turn behave inappropriately ourselves and end up in undesirable situations. The interactive theatre methodology used by CAP is a valuable tool in exposing these behaviours in any context, aiding us to identify communicative tendencies and power inequalities more readily.

Collective responsibility, collusion and systemic change is also explored. That is, how behaviour change in people and environments within spheres of influence can also change the behaviour of those directly involved in a dispute/ conflict. By shedding light on how space, colleagues/ others and expectations can play a silent role in people's behaviour, participants can become more aware of collusion and how easily it can surface. 

This group and institutional understanding of power relationships has also led us to utilize an extension of Forum Theatre - ‘Legislative Theatre’ - where collective and systemic behaviour is explored. This allows for change to be catalysed and a platform for the advocacy of rights created. This is particularly pertinent in contexts where the absence of law is continuing to ensure injustice or where laws are created to suppress action. Working beyond issue awareness and community building, Legislative Theatre allows the community participants to create bills to address the oppression they face. Policy-makers can be invited to attend, participate and then advise on the next steps of law-making.