The Rise of EPIC Theatre “From Ibsen to Brecht”

The Victorian Era & Melodrama

Ibsen and the Naturalists Henrick Ibsen Father of Naturalism Opposed the artificiality of Melodrama Moral analysis set against severely realistic middleclass background developed with economy of action, penetrating dialogue, and rigorous thought

Major Works Peer Gynt Doll’s House Ghosts Wild Duck Hedda Gabler Henrick Ibsen Peer Gynt Doll’s House Ghosts Wild Duck Hedda Gabler

Anton Chekhov Added humor and more ‘ordinary’ drama Saw tragedy in the ordinary Collaboration with Stanislavski revolutionized Russian Theatre

Major Works Seagull Cherry Orchard Three Sisters Uncle Vanya

Constantin Stanislavski Formed the Moscow Art Theatre Originated the ‘Acting Method’ Can not play Emotion You can not separate the actor from the role “Public Solitude”

George Bernard Shaw Precursor to Brecht as a political writer Wanted the audience to think Deliberate controversial subjects and plots Audience forced to make their own decisions Opposed middle class drama made theatre for the working class

Major Works Arms and the Man Candida Man in Superman Major Barbara Pygmalion Saint Joan

Expressionism “Forms of composition and stagecraft through which the wishes, fears, and obsessions of the human psyche are made audible and visible. In short, in tone, look and feeling --a symbolist dream world, marked by the use of distortion, repetition, and nightmarish fantasy.”

Examples Episodic Narrative Soliloquies Idea Plays Confronting the Audience Distortion Communicate, often violently, overstressed emotions

Bertold Brecht Experimented with Dada and Expressionism Didn’t want his audience to feel he wanted them to think Completely opposed to realism Took ideas from World Drama Influenced by Marxist Philosophy Created Verfremdungs-effekt and Epic Theatre

Alienation Effect Remind spectators that they were in a theatre watching an illusion Flood the stage with harsh light and show lights Minimal props and scenery Intentionally interrupted action with songs to emphasize a point Project captions on the stage Actors should become detached observers Actors would include stage directions in dialogue

Dramatic Theatre Epic Theatre Vs. Epic Theatre Involves spectator, removes capacity to act Allows audience to indulge in emotion Draws spectator in to experience the action Provides experience One scene exits for another Suspense about the outcome Observes the action but awakens capacity to act Presents a view which the spectator confronts something Provides knowledge Scenes exist for themselves Suspense about the progress

Major Works Galileo Mother Courage Good Person of Setzuan Caucasian Chalk Circle Three Penny Opera