Applied theatre is central to my practice. Drawing from Theatre of the Oppressed and other participatory traditions, I use embodied methods to support individuals and communities in exploring lived experiences of marginalization, inequality, and resilience.
My facilitation is grounded in formal training with Marc Weinblatt at the Mandala Center for Change (2017), where I strengthened my foundation in Theatre of the Oppressed practice.
In my work, I facilitate processes that include Image Theatre, Forum Theatre, character work, and collective dialogue. These methods support participants in externalizing internalized experiences, building collective insight, and rehearsing alternative possibilities.
Nepal 2017
My applied theatre journey began in Nepal, where I first facilitated a group with CAP Nepal through a translator. Witnessing participants embody lived experiences and engage in difficult conversations across language and cultural barriers reshaped my understanding of dialogue, power, and collective reflection.
It was also the first time I experienced any form of street theatre and saw how powerful Forum Theatre was in igniting rich dialogue amongst community members, especially when the topic hits close to home.
Since 2017…
Since then, I have facilitated applied theatre processes with diverse groups — including racialized youth offenders, migrant workers, and queer men in Singapore — adapting each process to its cultural and institutional context.
I have also devised and jokered Forum Theatre productions addressing social issues such as domestic abuse, racial profiling and interpersonal violence in educational institutions, grassroots organizations, and public community settings.
Selected Applied Theatre work
I worked with nine youth offenders in Singapore for my Honors thesis and we co-created a Forum Theatre production about racial and academic profiling that they experienced. One of my key takeaways from this study was the importance of recognizing who gets to witness stories and intervene. An important reminder that Forum Theatre should be intentional!
Read this article here.
I have often written about how Applied Theatre has a place in social work practice, especially in the context of Singapore where our social services are often place-based and serve various issues across groups and communities. I have highlighted the impacts of Forum Theatre in social work practice, across micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Recently, I also highlighted the various Participatory Theatre tools that can be used in social work practice, especially in group and community work.
On that note, I have often found joy in sharing my practice with other social work practitioners, even if it is finding ways to incorporate Freirean/hooks’ dialogic praxis or Boal’s tools in social work practice. I highlight some of my training work here.
Contact me if you’d like to learn more!
David Puvan 