I must admit, this week's reading was not what I expected. I had already read some writings by Augusto Boal on his experiments with invisible theatre, which were much more oriented towards the practical applications of theatre of the oppressed, and I expected this to be similarly written. As it is, I am unsure as to how Boal will tie this theory of Greek tragedy into theatre of the oppressed.
On a more focused note, I thought I'd comment on two points that Boal makes in this chapter. The first is the statement, "Theatre is the most perfect artistic form of coercion." This is a radical opinion, and I do not wholly agree with it. I do agree that theatre is a powerful force for influencing others, and that because of its immediacy and use of empathy, theatre has more sway than literature, visual art, or even film. However, I dislike the strong negative connotations of the word "coercion," and think that Boal makes theatre seem overly manipulated and abused by those in power.
The other statement that stuck out to me was, "Theatre is change." This I agree with wholeheartedly. I think it encapsulates the positive side of theatre's influence, and I am excited to see how Boal expands on this idea in realtion to theatre as a social and theraputic force.
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