Values in Action : Interactive drama
Channel: MIE Hub
Date: 2020-09-08

Mauritius Institute of Education produced three films as a pedagogical support for teacher in Mauritius and as a pedagogical supplement to the book Values in Action, during December 2019.
Producer of the films, drama- and dance-lecturer and author of the book, Mr. Per Skjöldebrand, thank the Holistic trainees at TDP HE for their engaged participation in the three films

Interactive Drama

Do we act bravely when we see some one suffering from oppression or do we become a down looking bystander? We have a chance to rehears for reality and become more ready to act.

We are using the term Interactive drama instead of the more public Interactive theatre which point at a more external performance. Like the Role-play, Interactive drama is done in a more internal homogeneous group.
Some of you may have heard the expression Forum Theatre or Theatre of the oppressed and they are related and actually the origin of Interactive drama.

The Interactive drama is presenting a problem to the audience, a problem that escalates from bad to worse. Unlike the Role play the outcome is prepared and rehearsed.

After showing the drama to the audience a first time they are now encouraged, or provoked, to interact when the drama is presented a second time. One or two characters can now be replaced when some in the audience see the possibility to change the outcome. They shout STOP and are invited to replace the actor and take the role of a “bystander”. In our example the student Olive is the replaceable role. The other actors continue to act according to their objectives and desires.

When a spectator becomes a spect-actor no STOP can be made. But after he or she has tried their actions, another spectator can feel free to try another strategy, when the drama restarts again.

The leader of the drama is called The Joker and the function is to be a helpful link between the stage and the spectator, from the start to the end.

Interactive drama promotes civil courage and raises awareness of how you can make a difference for some one in despair.