is theatre a good platform for activism and social Free Essay Example

Robert Schwarz notes on his essay “Misplaced Ideas” tells what happened back then in some countries around the world after living a revolutionary art word. As for example in Brazil on 1964, when it emerged the strongest 4 years of the country with a new era of popular culture. There were many different new artistic movements well accepted by Brazilians back then. Like Theatre of the Oppress, Tropicalia or the Incredible developments in worker education. But unfortunately, it was not for long when on 1968 it was extinguished.

Schwarz mentions how that had sadly the opposite effect. When the farm workers and peasants got over it “We’re sick of the intellectuals and the artists and we’re coming for you.” Activist artists were exiled to other countries or forcing them to keep silence. 32

“If you were in one of these theaters at this time, you would have thought that we had won. No one was asking the question: If we were so brave, how come we’d lost?”33

During my research I found very interesting the comments by the chief editor of a Russian Magazine called Giraffe.

Any Zhuk describes her perception of the two different types of people of how they understand the world. Her magazine has been created for both of those types of readers. Their objective it is simply to create a “zone of trust” and give some author voices.

Sharing their critical opinions about the art world and art performances. Providing feedbacks far away from the established adverts or conventional media advertisements.

They don’t want to be judges politically. But they want to offer their critical thinking to inspire the new tendencies that are going to come up. Helping new artists to be adapted and not extinguished. Without destroying the conventional theatre but observing their progress and development. “This new Moscow online journal is devoted to theatre. But it’s more like an activist project than a traditional arts magazine.”34

I consider that It is noticeable the lack of freedom expression that Russians artists often suffered. Zhuck tried to address her interview with the final purpose to connect their critical authors opinions towards the education. As she thinks that it can be the only way for the Russian government to accept and asses theatre. Helping to establish the freedom election for the young generations.

Nina Felshin an American art historian, writer and activist. On her book called but is it art? The spirit of art as activism, explores the rise of activist public art that agitates for social changes. She also discusses all different artists in the 80s and 90s making public art that provoked reactions and discussions. Naming activist art as an innovation mixed from the art and the political activism worlds. Which aim is to incite or achieve a determinate social change.35 The activist theatre develops a positive social activity that in which it gets influenced by artistic, political and technological impulses for the last 30 years. Being more as a process than an object or a commercial product. Activist artists are impulse by their belief on the political potential and the popular art. They have been created a cultural form that contribute and adapt with the use of elements of community organization and activism. Their aim it is to get influence into the artistic world but always having a huge compromise with society rather than with his art.36 For Felshin the activist art involves the highest point of the democratic impulse. The main objective it is giving voice and visibility to those without rights or with less accessibility to create art for big audiences. Artist are often taking roles as journalists, educators or interlocutors by the new era predominated by the mass-media.37

The mass media has evolved significantly over time. Through mass media, all news has bigger influence on general public and a major impact on public’s opinions in certain topics. As technology intended to reach as much audience and being considered the source that majority of general public is using to get news from. Becoming the main platform from where we pick information about social and political issues, news in pop culture and entertainment.38 Miguel Narros believe that all the theatre performances without any exception are about humanity problems, so they are political. Adapting yourself to take a political posture but not really in terms of which political party do you support.39

CONCLUSION

By the research that I did, it let me understand more about the wider world of performance as protest. Giving me the definition of many protest forms and getting an understanding of the roots of the past and present movements. It has been also hard to separate my opinion from the subject itself. The process of making this document it gives me more tools and hopes for my future aims in life.

Sometimes theatre pushes the masses in ways that even without realizing it has frightened governments and religious establishments. That it entailed into closing theatres and banning theatrical material. Back on history proves that theatre was used for social changes but there is not exist a real formula for the elaboration of this performances. As Theatre for Social Change can have a variety of forms. This can Depend by the culture, period of that time, issues related, resources and people involved. An importantly if the audience want to take part of a performance even if they need to confront with ignored social issues.

For many years’ art has been a tool for society to express or communicate through it. But not all people were probably aware of their meanings. We all can see the same performance, listen to the same song or steer to a hung drawing and catch different thoughts and feelings. I believe that

theatre invite the audience to adopt active positions for activism. As an invitation to do not give up. Theatre it can be the ideal place as it is collective, were people join, breath and get emotional together. With theatre it creates an energy that gives the sensation that you can share your motivation to change things. I think that is what it is powerful about theatre.

History is written by historians or maybe by the media. But also, theatre gives eco to many of those stories of our history. Icons of our history that it will be always remembered by a theatrical performance. That could be an example of how theatre performance can be informative and educative too. Also, can help us to recognize more about ourselves, also by practicing and exploring more in-depth with workshops.

Some people ask, why theatre is it used with this purpose as it supposed to entertain rather than touch political contend? It has not seen always as an accepted platform for many people to claimed social changes. Theatre have been denominated as an entertainment tool instead. I respect people who think that political issues should be treated on the parliaments and the theatre on the theaters. Because maybe theatre performance contains political contends and it is okay. But, will not transgress over from the barrier of fiction/reality as it will just been a performance. However, I personally think that then everything is transversal as politicians are informing and transmitting important issues through their social network. Then, there are no differences. For example, when Donald Trump or another Prime Minister express his opinions to the world online it gives the same value to any other platform as the theatre itself. When a politician gives a public speech, I am sure that it has been rehearsal before for many times until I goes perfect. The warming that they use to have public appearance and confidence while they speak it could be seen in the same way that we see to an actor before going into the stage. The only differences it is the label that we put or that we have known as theatre taking out the reality of the issue.

Obviously, we all know more than 10 problems, tragedies or injustices that are happening right now in many parts of our planet. But by the selfish emotion that we have been evolves as humans probably by the capitalism. It removes as the power that we can have to change things. Theatre makers mostly use their creativity to share inform and encourage thought through their performance. Giving the opportunity again to the Art to take part as an essential tool for our society.

On the past probably it was unthinkable to think that theatre could have any influence on the revolutions and big global changes. But theatre evolves as the world changes, everything it is linked. The world has evolved by advances in technology, historical events, environmental issues, political and social movements. Theatre over time it is developing new methods of performing as an answer to social and cultural issues. Used as an informative key to represent or inform issues on society. The political, cultural and social theatre is happening right now as changes can be done from us. Every time there are more news about political or social movements, where people are fighting for justice. This is exactly how some theatre practitioners get inspired, by their rights or beliefs. They decided to build something related to those emotions and to express thoughts about it. Just the fact of the beginning of a crisis it could be the excuse for artists to do some reflection about what their purpose of is making theatre. They probably by seeing themselves affected by it have been required to reco

Social issues are inspirations and the constant demanding from the audience. These methods were born in theatre companies that wanted their performance to impact. Some of the goals of the artist in the Art industry are to make aware and awake of some specific topics that they want to claim it on the public. It is sad how practitioners have been persecuted by the government oppressed statutes over the past of the years and they are still struggling in some parts of the world. It is an understandable reason how they need to shelter on the theatre world. Giving judgment for many others with their theories and transforming their creativity in social art.

Often, we recognize entertainment as a way of disconnection mainly with something that it will not make us think or worry about our personal lives making us feel relief. We are bombarded constantly with superficial news made it by the media and specially controlled by governments. Mostly with their only goal of communicate or entertain rather than to educate us. Then unconsciously we are manipulated without having the time of questioning to ourselves what is relevant anymore and what is not. Rather than responsibilities are liability and we try to avoid it because it probably gives us an overwhelmed feeling. But the truth it is that changes have been made by the protest of masses. There is going to be always people who disagree at first in order to live well involved on the society. But some others will take the moment to think about it and try not to follow what is stablished. Is then when do people who refuse to follow prefer to lead and is only then when new movements appear and then changes came across in our society. Theatre cannot change it by itself, but it could transform the persons who attend to theatre that at least it is the first step