ABSTRACT
This essay explores how Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) techniques may deepen discussions on literatures of the Philippines that revolve around power and resistance. Students unmask ideas of oppression which are evident in literary canons and contemporary literature while using their bodies and senses in Columbian Hypnosis, Image Theatre, Forum Theatre, and Rainbow of Desire. Students move from the elements of the texts they read to sculpting vivid, moving, talking physical metaphors of the country they live in. Reflections on students’ learning logs extend to insights on how interactive theater may strengthen individual and/or collaborative interpretation of and appreciation of Philippine literature.
