Theatre of the Self is an interactive and an inclusive playshop for mid to senior level employees based on Improvisational Theatre (Improv) and Forum Theatre frameworks that are used to train employees to experience collaboration via the ‘Yes, and’ mindset, make communication effortless, collectively solution leadership & behavioural issues, understand agility, and enhance creativity.
FORMAT OF THE PLAYSHOP
The intervention offers 3 formats depending on the organisation’s requirements –
1. Theatre of the Self using Improv Theatre
Focuses on introducing participants to Principles of Improv and the value-add of the ‘Yes, and’ Mindset in everyday interactions, collaborations, and communication within and across teams.
2. Theatre of the Self using Forum Theatre
Focuses on scene-work around leadership and behavioural issues via Forum Theatre methods which involve breaking the ‘Fourth Wall’ to make the scenes interactive, insightful, and deeply reflective.
3. Theatre of the Self and the creation of Organisational Charters
Focuses on using Improv and Forum Theatre to address organisational leadership & behavioural issues, leading to the creation of a Charter (a co-created set of cultural and behavioral aspirations to guide leadership and workplace interactions).
*The formats can be customised as a 3-hour introductory session as well as a full-day playshop.
*Theatre of the Self and the Creation of a Charter format requires a minimum of 1-1.5 days.
WHAT IS IMPROVISATION?
- Improvisation, Impro or Improv, is a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters and dialogue of a game, scene or story are made up in the moment.
- Improvisation is also the activity of making or doing something that you have not planned, using whatever you find.
- Improvisation is about using our existing skills and knowledge with whatever resources we have at hand.
- To be human is to Improvise: Rather than operating from a script, we are constantly looking at options, evaluating them, making decisions and acting spontaneously in our lives.
WHAT IS FORUM THEATRE?
- Forum Theatre involves audience members in the performance, allowing them to interrupt and propose different actions to resolve conflicts, promoting collective problem-solving and critical thinking.
- Audience members actively participate as ‘spect-actors,’ breaking the traditional ‘fourth wall’ that separates performers and the audience, to foster a collaborative and immersive experience.
- The methodology empowers participants to express ideas, explore solutions, and raises awareness about various social issues, enhancing education through active engagement.
- Used in organizational settings to address workplace issues, including diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), leadership challenges, and team dynamics, enhancing team collaboration and understanding.
WHY THEATRE OF THE SELF?
‘YES, AND’
MINDSET
Theatre of the Self is about accepting ideas and thoughts and expanding on them. This principle promotes a positive and open-minded approach to ideas and suggestions instead of shutting them down or being overly critical.
MAKE THE OTHER PERSON LOOK GOOD
The playshop is a highly collaborative art form, requiring participants to work together seamlessly to create engaging scenes. Making the other person look good makes you a great human, co-worker and leader.
BEING IN
THE MOMENT
Theatre of the Self is about learning to ‘React, Adapt & Communicate,’ as well as stay focused in the moment, especially when the unexpected occurs. It trains you to pay attention to things that we usually tend to miss.
BUILDING TRUST & PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
The playshop encourages participants to create trust and psychological safety to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. By creating an environment where people feel safe organizations can foster innovation, creativity, and strong relationships.
EMPOWERMENT & TEAMING
Theatre of the Self empowers participants by giving them a platform to express their ideas and explore solutions together. Participants have the opportunity to hear different perspectives and experiment with different approaches to resolve behavioural issues.
SNIPPETS FROM THEATRE OF THE SELF
OUR RECENT WORKSHOPS
Syngrity partnered with a leading global consultancy firm to conduct our signature theatre-based playshop – Theatre of the Self 2.0 – for a gathering of their senior leaders. Theatre of the Self 2.0 is an intervention based on improv and forum theatre methods. The workshop focuses on enabling participants to build on each other’s ideas and collectively solve problems through laughter, empathy and honest reflections. At its core, Theatre of the Self 2.0 is about empowering individuals to create an ecosystem of allyship through personal and professional transformations. Kudos to our wonderful client and participants for promoting a workplace culture where senior leaders embrace spontaneity and transformation. We are honored to have been part of your learning journey!
Syngrity joined forces with VMart for a deep-dive into collaboration, creativity and communication via our improv-theatre based intervention – Theatre of the self. Together, we crafted a space where participants could deconstruct and reflect on how collaboration and teaming could be enhanced through a series of reflection -based theatre games and the creation of an organizational culture charter. A big shout out to VMART for their enthusiasm, active participation, and unwavering commitment to fostering stronger and more cohesive leadership teams.
Testimonials
Jyotsna Singh Agarwal
Co-chair of CII, YI, Lucknow
The workshop was incredibly immersive, and I was impressed by the level of involvement demonstrated by the facilitators. They had a clear understanding of the workshop’s objectives and knew precisely how to guide the participants through the process. The combination of the improv theatre session and the Lego workshop was… read more
Nidhi Mehta
Associate Vice President Human Resources
We had the pleasure of attending both Theatre of the Self 1.0 and 2.0 workshops facilitated by Blessin Varkey, Malati Vasudeva and Vikram Badhwar during our leadership offsites in 2022 and 2023. These sessions were pivotal in our leadership journey, offering a unique, immersive experience to explore self-awareness, collaboration, and… read more
Preeti
TOTS participants, AEE Conference, Pune
Improv has always been both a stretch and growth zone activity for me. While it has provided many insights over the years, many-a-times the pressure to be funny, witty, creative etc. makes me nervous, and scared. However, during the Syngrity session the vibe changed from a panic zone to an… read more
Learning Head
Global PR Firm
We engaged with Syngrity for a workshop that addressed several critical areas relevant to our evolving organizational needs. From the onset, the methodology employed by Vikram and his team was both engaging and insightful. They balanced experiential learning with reflective exercises, which allowed participants to not only grasp key concepts… read more
Deeptie Sethi
Chief Executive Officer, PRCAI
PRCAI engaged with Syngrity for a ‘Theatre of the Self ‘workshop and invited Human Resources leaders from several PR consultancies. Vikram Badhwar and Blessin Varkey did a phenomenal job in creatively leveraging the art of action and conversations to break the ice within this group. The ‘Theatre of the Self’… read more
OUR CLIENTS
MALATI VASUDEVA
VIKRAM BADHWAR
PRIYANKA KUMAR
SUMAL VARGHESE
