Using Forum theatre as a tool for learning has many benefits:

• Turns a problem into a solution
• Provides a means to test tools and techniques in a safe environment
• Gives an opportunity to try out various approaches to a single issue
• Interact at a level that suits you
• Allows for group consensus to determine what works for them
• Empowers individual creative thinking
• Facilitates behavioural change
• Challenges working frameworks to assess their validity

Forum theatre is a very powerful tool for learning and changing behaviours – groups of up to 100 people at a time can contribute, get involved and share ideas, whilst using the creative side of their brain to help learn what works and produce solutions. By giving space for everyone's ideas, they can also learn teamwork, and discover how working together inspires a positive atmosphere. As we can train so many people at one time, it is cost effective too.

We have used forum in many different ways, both to help with best business practice, and also to facilitate real cultural and behavioural change for whole organisations.

Bespoke Forum.

To begin with, we work with you to identify the issue you wish to have addressed – this can be anything - dealing with difficult customers, leadership issues, helping colleagues get the best out of one another, communication problems, to sales training, appraisals, networking, customer care etc.

We then enter an intense research period. This takes various forms, talking to people within your organisation, desk based research etc. Once we have a clear idea of how we can achieve your objective, we devise a piece of theatre to reflect your issue.This can be as long or short as you wish, but is probably not longer than 40 minutes. We can set this either in an organisation “not a million miles away” from your own, or it can be set somewhere far removed from your business, whilst addressing the same problems you are facing. We make this as true as we can, but we retain an element of fun as well! Depending on the issue, there will be 3 or 4 actor – facilitators involved.

Usually half a day is needed for this type of training, but it can be extended to a full day, or we can do two sessions in one day, or return on more than one day – it's up to you.

We start the session by showing the piece of theatre. Then we explain that we are going to re-run it, but this time the group can get involved! If they feel the protagonist in the piece can say or do something differently, they stop the action and try out their idea, and so influence the outcome of the piece. This can be done in several ways. The best way is to replace the actor. They will not be role-playing - they will be approaching the problem as themselves, using "real -play"(c). They can also direct the actor from their seat, and we can even hand them a fake mobile phone and they can phone in their idea! We emphasise that the forum is just that – a forum for ideas, and there are not necessarily any “right” or “wrong” answers. As people become more relaxed, the ideas start to come thick and fast! Your delegates will have been absorbed and entertained by a play written just for them,reflecting scenarios and problems they are familiar with. Because they can interact with what they have seen, change what happens, and see the results played out immediately, they are empowered in a dynamic, unique way.

The facilitator directs proceedings, and turns each idea back to the group to find out how it changed the piece. The consensus of the group decides what will work for them. At the end of the session, the facilitator sums up the group's ideas, and they leave with their own “best practice”. Because they have created it themselves, the results continue to grow when they are back in the workplace, and can be evaluated against agreed performance indicators.

"Forum in a Suitcase!"

You are a training manager who would like to find an innovative, creative way to lock your training – or you are an independent trainer who would like to use forum as an addition to your regular training.

As with the bespoke, we collaborate with you, then research and devise a short piece of theatre to reflect what you wish your training to achieve. The piece will only be 10 –15 minutes long. We can set this up in any space, with a minimum of props and costume, and only two actor facilitators, so it can even be at one end of a small classroom! We can come in whenever you wish – although it works well if we come in after you have delivered the bulk of your training. The mini forum lasts about two/two and a half hours. The beauty of this type of forum is that your delegates can use the training they have just received immediately – in a real situation. You can gauge how much of your training they have absorbed, and they will remember what they have learned more easily by using their creative brain. It also means they get a chance to do something very different to the usual form of training.

We do have some “off the shelf” pieces of theatre that we can use for this type of training.

We are always happy to talk to you about how we can use forum to help you, or any other aspect of our training. Please use the form on the Talk to us page, or email us using the link below.

enquiries@leapingdeer.co.uk