Action Theatre is an applied form of theatre, developed and demonstrated in Bangladesh, that includes a dramatisation of a social problem, followed by the participation of the community in identifying and carrying out solutions.

The goal of Action Theatre is to develop the capacities of young people and cultural activists at the grassroots level to be a force for change, helping to create a society based on human rights, gender equity, and social justice. The tactical outcome is the creation of local theatre groups who would initiate discussion, debate, analysis, and actions on critical human rights issues in their community. Participants may also enhance their leadership skills and human rights awareness.

There are eight steps of Action Theatre.

Six individual elements work in conjunction with one another to provide a complete Action Theatre experience:

Initiator: Creates an action theatre group.

Core team: Community or organisation staff members who initiate Action Theatre in other communities.

Primary team: Community members who form the human rights theatre group, or Manobadhikar Natya Parishad (MNP), and implement action theatre.

Upazilla [sub-district] level Manobadhikar Natya Parishad (UzMNP): Federation of local MNP/primary team groups.

Partner non-governmental organisation (NGO) or PNGO: The local group with which the Core Team works to coordinate the programme.

Community Organiser (CO): Local community member working under the supervision of the PNGO to build the primary team and provide support to them.

Audience: Participants in performance who are tasked with defining the action to be taken.

The Action Theatre framework has been developed and replicated in twelve working areas across Bangladesh by The Center for Victims of Torture, New Tactics in Human Rights Project. Case study information, related to the Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) legal aid and human rights resource centre, is available in the source document referenced here.

Click here to download a document with more information about this "tactic"/model [PDF].

Akand, Motahar and Kendra, Ain O Salish "Action Theatre: Initiating Changes [PDF]," The Center for Victims of Torture, New Tactics in Human Rights Project, 2007 - retrieved June 3 2008.