The stage has forever been a place where political issues have been examined. The ritualistic and social significance of the earliest Greek performances in central arenas brought relevance to many controversial topics, a pattern that has not subsided to this day. According to Wikipedia, "Political theater is drama or performing art which emphasizes a political issue or issues in its theme or plot.... Political theater can also be defined as exploring themes more universal and central to society itself, especially when that society defines itself as politically conscious."
In a contemporary context it's largely satirical, and given the openness of Cable TV and small theaters, it very often is blatantly suggestive, almost always includes touches of comedy, or at least provokes comedic thoughts, probably inflamitory, often with allusions to slander, etc.
It's concept and theme was studied and portrayed as early as the Ancient Greeks, and usually came with risk to any writers/actors, in that they had to be more mindful of offering opinions and suggestion publically.
Certainly it gave theater goers and actors alike, a break from the controlled settings of War epics, Romance, things more mundane, and it speaks to the general population on a very base level. We all have opinions we can relate to, if/when, others share them.
The direction was pretty much like walking a tightrope, especially prior to the 19th century, when publically sharing political opinions was nearly as taboo as sharing any feelings that didn't follow Church notions. Personally I'm happy those types were bold enough, so long before something like the first ammendment to the US Constitution was drafted.
http://www.pbs.org/now/arts/politicaltheater.html
What springs to your mind when you hear the words political theatre?
'Political Theatre is essentially opening up the audiences eyes to international issues facing the world and hopefully influencing them and evoking the audience to have a valid opinion on these worldly issues.
Current political theatre includes issues such as student fees, animal rights, human rights, the government and politics etc.
Political theatre has the power to influence the way one thinks and the way one interprets the world, and also it can give the actors a sense of purpose in attempting to promote different people's individual views. Overall political theatre basically challenges 'hushed up' and 'judgemental' theatre, where the audiences' minds' are passive and they are essentially puppets in which the actors place their own opinions. political theatre doesn't want people to believe wholeheartedly in the views of other people e.g. the performers, but more strives to be original thought provocation.
The aims of political theatre:
- The aim of political theatre is to bring about change in society
- Political theatre is seen as a force which can bring about change
- Political plays express dissatisfaction with current social and political conditions in any given context
- Political plays aim to hold up a mirror to society
- The mirror that is held up to society is supposed to focus society’s attention on what is wrong with society
- The further aims of political theatre are to: criticise, condemn, illustrate, accuse, alienate…
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