1. Anti-realistic Theatre
1880-Present

2. Anti-Realistic Styles
Symbolism
Expressionism
Futurism
Dadaism
Surrealism
Theatre of Cruelty
Epic Theatre
Absurdism
Meta-Theatre
Anti-Realistic Styles

3. Symbolism Emerges in France in 1880
Leading form of Anti-Realism from
Almost no plot
Sought to depict “inner” life
Drama in Silence
Elements of lyric poetry, metaphor, symbols, music
Maurice Maeterlinck
The Intruder
The Blind
Pelleas en Melisande
Symbolism

4. Expressionism Originates in France circa 1905
A representation of reality that is distorted to communicate inner feelings
Highly subjective
Action seen through the eyes of protagonist
Protagonist often goes on a “journey”
Pure expressionism was short-lived, but many anti-realistic movements owe a debt to it.
Expressionism

5. Originated in Italy circa 1909
Idealization of War and Machine age
Confront and Antagonize audience
Attack classical ideals
Futurism

6. Dadaism Originates in Switzerland circa 1916
Reaction to insanity in WWI
Railed against classical ideals
Did NOT glorify war (Pacifisitic)
Short Plays which defy rational explanation
Dadaism
Both Dada and Futurism foreshadow modern performance art.

7. Rooted in Dada movement Originates in France circa 1924
The subconscious as reality
Recreation of dreamworlds
Surrealism

8. Theatre of Cruelty Conceptualized by Antonin Artaud circa 1930
Literary tradition is antithetical to ritualistic origin
No More Masterpieces!
Theatre as a sensory experience
Assault or maul the audience
Make the audience the center of attention
Concept of “Found Space”
Theatre as a tool to purge violent tendencies
Theatre of Cruelty

9. Conceptualized by Brecht and Piscator in Germany circa 1925
Political theatre for social change
Director as master over text
Episodic structure
Goal to instruct
Audience involved intellectually not emotionally
Alienate the audience
Narrators
Stage machinery and lighting clearly visible
Historification
Title cards
Epic Theatre

10. Absurdism English origin circa 1950
What happens in life cannot be logically explained
Reflection of the ridiculous and absurd
Human existence is futile
Non realistic characters with no explanation
Strange settings
Absurdism

11. Metatheatre Theatre becomes part of content
Characters are aware of their status as characters
Juxtaposition between theatricality of human behavior and real human behavior
Examines reality as metaphor
Metatheatre