This paper underscores the role of theatre as a tool for facilitating community education. It reckons that traditional African theatre had a functional orientation. This African theatre, which is being reintroduced in various parts of Africa, was for many years suppressed by Christian and administrative leaders of the colonial era. It further observes that, in community education, the theatrical event serves only a catalytic function, intended to stimulate critical analysis, or organization and action. The paper discusses a number of experiments with popular theatre for public education, identifying some related problems. It ends by outlining the responsibilities of theatre practitioners.
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