Why Reconciliation?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants should imagine themselves having to explain to someone why we need reconciliation and find arguments in support of it. One person...
Voting on a Verdict
Materials: Two charts of voting outcomes (see annex), a lot of small notes of equal size to serve as ballots, two flipchart papers to record the voting results Exercise...
Tram
Materials: Five chairs Exercise description Set up five chairs next to each other (like seats on a tram) so that the whole group can see them. The second and fourth...
Swamp
Materials: Masking tape Exercise description A grid of squares is drawn on the floor, 6 x 8 squares It can be made by using masking tape. Each square should be...
Statues Theatre
The main difference between forum theatre and statue theatre is that statue theatre involves setting up human bodies as statues (immobile scenes without sound), while forum theatre is about role...
Presidential Elections
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description The participants split into two groups: the “candidates” (five or six persons) and the “voters”. The candidates have two to three minutes to come...
Practising “I-speech” through Role Play
Exercise description Participants are divided into four groups (of four or five participants). They have 10 minutes to come up with a short conflict role play. It would be best...
Planet
Materials: Paper, pencils Exercise description Check that everyone has a paper and pencil and then slowly and clearly read the background story at least twice. Story: “A new planet has...
Life on an Island
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into small groups (of 5 to 7 people). They are told that they find themselves on a desert island – each...
Justice, Forgiveness, Truth, Peace
Exercise description Pairs of participants are tasked with advocating (i.e. speaking in favour of) one of the following terms: justice, forgiveness (or mercy), truth, or peace. These are the four...
Forum Theatre
Set of Introductory Exercises for the Theatre of the Oppressed Driver Leading by the Palm Leading by Sound Magical Object Linking Statues Duration: 35 minutes Setting the Play Duration:...
Fortress*
The participants split into two groups. One group will be in the “fortress” and the other will be outside trying to get in. Both groups have 15 minutes to prepare...
Five Minutes of Power Over You*
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description Divide the group up into pairs. The instructions are: “Decide which one of you will have power over the other person for the next...
Delegating Exercise
Materials: Prepared index cards with more information for the groups Exercise description Split into three groups: “Drama”, “Music” and “Computers/English”. Story: “The youth centre in a small Bosnian town has...
Airplane
Materials: “Lifesavers” made of paper (prepared in advance), large piece of paper, markers Exercise description Prepare lifesavers in advance by cutting them out of a large piece of paper...
A Step Forward
Materials: Cards with descriptions of roles Exercise description Prepare as many cards with roles as there are participants. Randomly hand out the cards to the participants. They are not to...
“Enemies” at Official Commemorations
Exercise description The day before, ask individuals from the group to take on roles for this exercise so that they can prepare. Their task will be to participate in displaying...