Forum Theatre is an interactive theatre form invented (or discovered) in the early 1970s by Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal. An audience is shown a short-ish play in which a central character (protagonist) encounters an oppression or obstacle which s/he is unable to overcome; the subject-matter will usually be something of immediate importance to the audience, often based on a shared life experience.

Since its formation in 1991 Cardboard Citizens has toured Forum Theatre productions to hostels, day centres and arts centres throughout the UK. We use it to engage homeless and non-homeless audiences in an active debate about the issues being represented on stage. These works of Forum Theatre can manifest as a Professional Theatre Production, a Hostel Tour Production, or a Peer Forum Theatre Project.

The quality of the theatre, combined with the interactivity of Forum, guarantees a high degree of participation from our audiences, which can be comprised of anything from 10 to 200 people. The intention is to stimulate debate, on a personal and group level, and to entertain audiences of all backgrounds.

Cardboard Citizens has developed a Forum for Change or Peer Forum Theatre model where Forum Theatre is produced by, with and for a particular community and addresses issues that its members face - often working as a powerful consultation medium. It is an extremely effective way of working with a group as it engenders discussion and debate and enables solutions to be found.

Cardboard Citizens has recently used this model to create Dreams, a dance theatre production with young refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, and a three-part Forum Theatre production, Express, with excluded young people in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of using Peer Forum Theatre in your community or to enquire about a having the next Hostel Tour - to be written by Sarah Woods- appear at your hostel or day centre, or having Cardboard Citizens appear at a conference you are organising, contact Project Manager Tracey Weller on 020 7247 7747 or email tracey@cardboardcitizens.org.uk.