In Image Theatre, the spect-actor must participate more directly. The participant is encouraged to give his/her opinion but with no talking at all, just using the body of the rest of the participants, like and sculptor with a group of statues, so that he/she can convey his/her opinion and feelings as obviously as possible. The participant can’t talk at any time, but they can use their own face to let the other participants know what he/she wants.

 

Modifications can be discussed and rehearsed: each spectator has the right to either modify the statues totally or just a small detail. They have to sculpt two images: the real and the ideal ones. Then, they are asked to think about the transition, that means, the image we need to go from reality to the result, the ideal one. In other words, they must picture the transformation, the resolution, or any other words we want to use. At this point, amazing debates might come up. It is interesting that when someone says: “I don’t think that….”, “I think is better if…”, then the joker interrupts and say: “don’t talk, just come and show”. Now the spectator shows visually his/her view and the debate can go on.

 

Some other techniques can be applied in Image Theatre:

1. Each statue is allowed to make one movement or one gesture, and only one, each time we clap our hands. In this case, the group of images will be transformed according to each participant’s wish.

2. Participants are asked to memorize the ideal image, then go back to the initial one that represents reality and then they must do the necessary movements for the transformations to happen. The forum will go about the viability of the proposal. 

3. The participant-sculptor is asked to place his/herself in the image once it is finished. Sometimes we realise we have a cosmic vision of our reality, like if your own self was out of that reality.