Forum Theatre during the performance
Participants discussing their impressions of the play with the distributed scripts.
Participants played the role instead of the actor.
In this theatrical project using the framework of Forum Theatre, a form of participatory theater, Osako uses acting and discussion to explore comfortable ways to deal with PMS.
Participants watch a short play of around five minutes pinpointing the uncontrollable physical and emotional conditions that occur before menstruation, and the relationship problems associated with this. They then discuss what they feel after seeing the play. From the second performance onwards, participants can propose their own solutions by raising their hands and taking over the acting roles when they feel any exasperation or anxiety.
The project constitutes a forum for all participants to put their heads together using the fictional nature of drama as a buffer to deal with sensitive issues that many people struggle with, but which are difficult to discuss openly.
Facilitator: Minori Osako
Script: Saki Sakamoto (Ashitaha, Netakunai)
Performed by: Rinka Niki, Ai Aizawa
Project team: Keito Fukuhara/Yuka Matsui
Organized by: Minori Osako
With the support of: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., GRAPHICO, Inc.
Minori OSAKO
Osako engages in planning and production for the stage. She is a Research Assistant in the Theatre Department, College of Art, Nihon University, where she graduated from a theatre planning and production course. While a student, she specialized in theater planning and production and engaged in theater attendant work and independent production. She won a College of Art prize for her graduation piece.
Her research interest lies in applied theater with a focus on active audience participation. In August 2023 she was a facilitator-assistant for the event “Forum Theatre for thinking about harassment in the theater,” organized by the Japan Playwrights Association.
Minori Osako
forumtheatre24@gmail.com
（tefu）yoyogi uehara, Shibuya City, Tokyo
