Enacting Civic Discourse: An Exploration Through Jana Sanskriti’s Play The Golden Girl

Abstract

Alternative theater forms have consistently experimented with modes of communicative participation to engage the masses in bringing about a change in society. The Theater of the Oppressed (TO), conceptualized and developed by Augusto Boal, has gone a long way in evolving the dynamics of communicative discourse. This chapter aims to explore the potential of Jana Sanskriti (JS), an Indian organization employing the TO methodology, as a forum to foster civic discourse. By examining one of the JS plays, The Golden Girl, this chapter attempts to analyze the myriad discursive enactments ventured by JS. This chapter also investigates the relevance and potency of these interactive discourses in countering oppressive cultures and bringing about a gradual transformation toward the betterment of the communities and society as a whole.