6/11/2012 - What is Political Theatre? First Thoughts

I think Political Theatre is theatre that reflects what is going on now in the world and gets you to question it. It also allows the producers (actors, directors etc.) to question their beliefs on topics and learn for themselves. The fact that the audience and the people who work on a piece of Political Theatre   both learn, I think, makes it a valuable way to help change happen or spark something that will lead to change, even simply a debate.
I think Political Theatre can expose truths about society that are harsh but need to be discussed. This is important so that a audience can have more knowledge about the world and actively question themselves and what's around them. It keeps you in touch with reality.
It is brave theatre that can have a valuable place in society and even history at a small scale (in the minds of the audience) than some other forms may have. If it is bold enough and presented at the right time, it can cause people to act. But arguably, any piece of theatre can be political as long as it makes you think about the world.
It can be democratic because it allows the audience to think for themselves, interpret the things they are presented with in their own way and make their own decisions as to how they are going to deal with it. The audience are then equal together because they are all journeying with the actors at the same time in their learning.