Theatre of The Absurd

Context Originates post WWII, beginning in Europe (mid 1940s) Came from a school of thought that could find “no rational explanation for human life”. This is reflected in the characters in this genre. The playwright asks us to “draw our own conclusions” and make of it what we will. This theatre genre is unfamiliar to many and may make us uncomfortable.

Context - Existentialism Theater of the Absurd began at the same time as existentialism. Jean-Paul Sartre (Play - No Exit): “Man is only what he does. Man becomes what he chooses to be.” The existentialists often cited Hitler’s Nazi Germany and the atrocities of the Holocaust as examples of the dangers of conformity.

Context - Ideas Albert Camus: “There is no cause and effect.” Truth is not knowable. Human beings are individually responsible for the decisions they make and for accepting the consequences of those decisions. Human decisions affect other people. The most courageous human act is to make a decision and live with the consequences

CommonThemes Alienation and isolation from other humans Alienation from history and culture Alienation from social and physical environment Disharmony with nature Chaotic and disorderly life Failure of communication Lack of religious certainty

Characters Do not have names, jobs or backgrounds or ”generic” Have no control over what happens to them (no power) Aren’t what you would expect eg: litter, animals (rhinocerous) Odd/strange behaviour Often, interdependent pairs – eg Rosencrantz & Guilderstein; Vladimir & Estragon with one of the pair more dominant

Characters Unbelievable characters Psychological complexity Irrational beings Cannot be understood Alienated, isolated, satirical, incoherent, lack of communication Often exemplify an existential point of view Groups of symbols rather than c. characters

Plots No logical, traditional plots; unconventional Actions may begin and then disappear ridiculous and unbelievable Non-realistic; symbolic satire Nothing happens; storyless action Rejection of theatrical conventions Abrupt changes of direction and tone

Settings Not distinct, could be anywhere Not specific: eg “a road” instead of “on the side of the road to Mandalay at dusk.”

Language Natural language but dialogue is circular (moves in circles and doesn’t necessarily advance). Can be confusing and may not make sense Use of pause (usually 5 secs) and silence (usually 10 secs) Repetition, rhyme

Playwrights – Samuel Beckett Irish dramatist “Waiting for Godot” was once described as the “play where nothing ever happens. Twice.” “Who am I?” is a common theme in Samuel Beckett’s plays.

Playwright - Jean Genet French dramatist Sympathy with the outcasts in Society. Plays (English names) The Maids; Deathwatch; The Balcony

Playwright - Eugene Ionesco Eugene Ionesco’s plays convey the meaningless of modern man’s existence in a universe ruled by chance. Plays – The Bald Soprano, Rhinocerous

Playwright – Harold Pinter English playwright 1930-2008 "There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false." Plays include The Room, The Birthday Party, The Homecoming, and Betrayal

Playwright – Tom Stoppard Czech-born child refugee British playwright born 1937 Themes of human rights, censorship and political freedom Plays – Arcadia, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, The Real Thing, Jumpers, and he co-wrote the screenplay for Shakespeare in Love.

Playwright – Edward Albee American, 1928-2016 “Human beings have lost the ability to cope with their problems and anxieties because they refuse to accept responsibility for their lives Plays - The Zoo Story, Sandbox, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Seascape.