Over 30 students are currently participating in Lemonhead's BOAL sessions. During the first two sessions a brief history of BOAL's early interest in Theatre was given, followed by an example of his forum theatre technique used in Palermo in the 80's.

METHOD
However the first exercises were dedicated to BOAL's early experimentation with methodical techniques first investigated by Stanislavski and later sharpened by Strasberg. All 26 students focused on each muscle of their body making them aware of the various muscles we have from head to toe.  Then they were asked to pick up an object from the floor, doing it with normal speed, then slower and ultimately extremely slowly, each time trying to identify which muscles are being stretched, tensed and released. The students then had to re do the scene without actually picking the object, but imagining the weight of the object and tense and release their muscles as they felt them when they actually did pick the object up.

OPRESSION
The second workshop of the first session saw the group being divided in 4 groups where they discussed a personal experience where they once felt oppressed. Each group then chose just one of the experiences and performed it.

WEEK TWO
The second session, a week later, saw the groups re-perform their act, followed by a re-run, only this time the spect-actors stopped the scene and took the place of one of the characters… most of the time the victim was chosen. On a few occasions the spect-actor was replaced by another spect-actor.

DISCUSSION
A discussion followed each re-run, where all present weighed the value and possibility of the solutions offered. At times a big majority of those present accepted the spect-actor's interpretation as a solid solution… at other times the discussion took longer, got deeper, and there was a balanced difference of opinions.

The second part of the session was dedicated to more sensory memory exercises, where the group focused on taste, smell and hearing sense.

TASTE
The students ate some honey, then some sugar followed by more than a pinch of salt. In each case the students were studying their facial expressions. How their muscles felt with each taste. Some also made use of a mirror. Each student had to understand the different ways their faces changed to each taste… even the difference between the honey and sugar (2 sweet tastes). Then, each had to perform the reactions without tasting the real thing, in front of a partner… with the partner assessing the changes and what they represented.

HEAR
With the lights switched off, the students were asked to make themselves comfortable and focus only on the melody being played. This was played several times. The students had to memorise the melody, and master its tempo. Then, all students had to hum the tune together with the melody. At a stage the sound of the music was lowered, then gradually upped again… if the melody and humming were synchronised then the exercise was a success… if not, it had to be re-done. There were about 7 takes before it was successful.

SMELL
As with the taste exercise, this time the students went through the smelling process of the pepper and flowers they brought with them.

Bryan Muscat stressed that the importance of these sensory exercises does not lie solely with reacting properly to a taste or smell… but also to let these experiences help you re-live other experiences related to these smells, tastes, etc.