Azadi Mobarak!

Happy Freedom!

Freedom is a fundamental human right that protects us from the power of oppressive regimes or bodies. Therefore, it is a good notion to convey through applied theatre. Without freedom, our ability to make decisions for ourselves, follow our choices, and express ourselves without fear is severely limited. Freedom is an important concept to learn from childhood. It means to have the right to do and say, what you think is true and gives children a sense of importance and belonging, which is essential for building social relationships and for contributing to the world. Theatre as Education is a branch of Applied Theatre; it will encourage students and practitioners to acquire a deeper understanding of freedom.

?I decided to practice the concept of Freedom with children by adopting “The Fox and the Grapes” by Guilherme Figueiredo and teaching students how to be leaders. I replaced Mobarak who is a comic character in the puppet theatre of Iran. He is a kind of Iranian commedia dell’arte character with a black face and a red costume. Mobarak is an astute and big-hearted servant. While he is trying to gain his freedom he is ready to criticize dishonesty and fight the wicked and unfair as he mockeries his master. Mobarak signifies the voice of the common person in the face of injustice. In this experience, many students broke down stereotypes and promoted better morals. I tried to develop their skills and confidence as educational practitioner using applied theatre to bring about social change, working in areas such as Freedom in Iranian schools.

Note: This practice was performed in June 2023 at Edalat Primary School in Isfahan, Iran. Children’s ages ranged between 9 to 11 years old.

#applied_theatre

#Theatre_in_education

#Mobarak

#Guilherme_Figueiredo

#children_theatre

#Freedom

#commedia_del_l'arte