The theatre of the oppressed is a method developed in the 1960s by Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal. Simply put, it involves utilization of life stories, real situations, and theatrical techniques to work with those who have personal experience with some sort of oppression. It thus tries to not only reflect on the current situation but also aims for social communication, and ideally also change.

The theatre of the oppressed is a two-phase method. A group that wants to work on a topic first prepares a short theatrical performance over the course of several days. This involves a combination of techniques used to process the topic of oppression and methods that help the spect-actors express their story using theatrical techniques. In practice, this involves various types of games and exercises focusing on relaxation, entertainment, developing the imagination, group dynamics, and learning basic stage skills.

The result is then a presentational form known as Forum Theatre, where spectators participate in a "performance" prepared for them by a specific group and seek alternative solutions to the given situations. This leads to a natural dialogue that contributes to the understanding of both sides of the story.
The method is appropriate for groups who have a desire to work on their topic and with the help of theatre to also achieve certain social changes. The topics can vary - it depends on the group. From experience with institutions to topics such as homelessness.

Individual groups can also prepare their performances in quite different ways - from intensive several-day concentrated sessions to regular work taking place over several weeks (for example, one afternoon a week).