Lenguaje verbal y no verbal del teatro comunitario. Caso de estudio: El hombre de azul

Abstract

This article origins from the lack of research on the verbal and non-verbal language about community theatre “Espada de Madera”, located in Zámbiza, Ecuador. The article consists on a detailed analysis of the verbal and the paralanguage, kinesis, proxemia, as well as principles of the non-verbal communication. This study also focuses on the evolution, the challenges and the understanding of these languages. This research founds on a theoretical framework regarding the relationship between communication and culture. For this reason, José Martín Barbero is the main cited author. In the beginning, this article opens from verbal and non-verbal communication, and expands into communication and community theatre, theater of the oppressed. Afterwards, it focuses on the community theatre “Espada de Madera”, and its play “El hombre azul”. To gather information about the behaviors and perception of the play, many people were interviewed, because of their experience as academics or performers. In addition, there was a participant observation to measure the people’s interest in the community theater, and its social and political concepts. The final results include the importance of using correct verbal and non-verbal language to connect with the audience. Moreover, it was found an evolution of these languages and how they are used today in the community theater. It also was discovered the numerous challenges that the community theater has to face. In the main conclusions, it was found that the development and execution of the communitytheatre languages do not require to be executed by experts in dramaturgy or acting. Instead, they can be performed by regular people, to express their realities, thansforming these performances in an interaction of ideas and constant knowledge within the development of a play.