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What were Brecht’s aims for his directing methodology, epic theatre, and how is that methodology still utilized by contemporary practitioners with similar aims?
Bertolt Brecht was one of the greatest play-wrights of the twentieth century whose methodology
also had a huge impact on the development of the modern theatre. According to Peter Brook,
Bertolt Brecht is still one of the key figures of our time,nevertheless today 's theatre works start or
return to his statements. However, Peter Brook argues that even in his life time
Bertolt Brecht was widely misunderstood in terms of theatrical perspective. In this case, it would be
crucial to mention some of the key points of Brecht 's theatrical approach before
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There are important words to describe before referencing principles of Bertolt Brecht 's
theatre. Today as it is known Brechtian Theatre, in theory, has words like ' Epic Theatre ', ' Gestus ',
'Alienation ', 'Estrangement ' and 'V-effect '.
' 'Epic Theatre ' ' is considered to be a key term which enabled a new theatrical form from traditiona
literary. Hereby, Bertolt Brecht created his Epic Theatre based on Marxist view and tried to bring
with new theatrical aesthetics.
Karl Marx 's 'Das Capital ' influenced Brecht 's thought deeply for creating a form of political theatre
which was designed to change society. Since Bertolt Brecht was encouraged by this philosophy, his
aim was to give a new shape to German Theatre. Thus, Brecht purposed theatre for the modern
which was not only analytical. Moreover, Brecht 's aim was to analyse social actions to examine the
conflicts brought by the bourgeois society.
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' 'Brecht believed that "seducing" the audience into believing they were watching
Concluding the Federal Theatre Project, it has accomplished the goal of introducing theatre to millions who had never seen theatre before. It employed thousands of people, initiated European epic theatre and Living Newspaper theatre techniques to the United States, and for this reason could be seen as a vast achievement.
Over the course of his career, Brecht developed the criteria for and conditions needed to create Epic Theatre. The role of the audience can be likened to that of a group of college aged students or intellectuals. Brecht believed in the intelligence of his audience, and their capacity for critical analysis. He detested the trance-like state that an Aristotelian performance can lure the audience into. Plays that idealize life and humanity are appealing to an audience, and this makes it easy for them to identify with the hero, they reach a state of self oblivion. The spectator becomes one with the actor, and experiences the same fantastical climax that is unattainable in real life.
Bertolt Brecht was a German playwright, theatre critic, and director. He created and developed epic theatre with the belief that theatre is not solely for entertainment but also tools for politics and social activism. Previous theatre performances offered a form of escapism. The audience would become emotionally invested in the performance. In contrast to the suspension of disbelief, Brecht never wanted the audience to fall into the performance. He wanted the audience to make judgments on the argument dealt in the play. The aim of epic theatre is to detach the audience from any emotional connection in order for them to critically review the story. The ultimate goal of this theatre is creating awareness of social surroundings and encouraging the audience to take initiative on changing the society.
The triviality of melodrama is so often the theatrical scapegoat that boils the blood of the modern-day critic: the sentimental monologues, the martyred young lovers, the triumphant hero, and the self-indulgent imagery. Melodrama would seem the ultimate taboo; another failed Shakespearean staging or even worse, an opera minus the pretty music. Ironically, Bertolt Brecht, dramatic revolutionary and cynic of all things contrived found promise in the melodramatic presentation. Brecht examined and manipulated the various superficial and spectacular aspects of theatre, establishing a synthesis of entertainment and social criticism as his fundamental goal. Bertolt Brecht employs various facets of melodramatic technique in The Jewish Wife, ultimately reconfiguring the genre and conveying his central theme; a society rendered immobile at the will of a totalitarian regime.
The Brechtian style of performance is a style of theater in which the audience is balanced between two modes of viewership. On the one hand the Brechtian style requires that the audience watch the show engaged emotionally, but not in the classic Aristotelian cathartic way. On the other hand it requires that the audience stay critically active in dealing with the performance, thus, achieving an alienated political and educational response among the members of the audience. Naturally this style of theater produces a conflict of interests in the direction of a show. Should the performance focus on garnering political influence and sway, or should the production be emotionally compelling and relatable, or perhaps a combination of both? In order
Brecht, Bertolt. Brecht on Theatre: The Development of an Aesthetic. Hill & Wang New York,
In conclusion, Brecht’s philosophies, though popular, are not necessarily correct in their speculations. While there is validity as to why he would want to induce societal change through intellectual theatre, his form of epic theatre is simply impracticable, because in order to have a causal effect on society and create change, an emotional stimulation or catharsis has to occur in order to spark intellectual interest and create a motivation for societal change. Therefore, catharsis and the purging of one’s emotions is necessary to accomplish Brecht’s goals of epic theatre: to instruct and to create change.
During the Splendid adaptation, it was clear that they mainly focused on style, using a Brecht as an influence. At the beginning of the performance, the audience was greeted
During the mid 14th century, the black plague was running rampant. The church, being a state of God, did not know how to cure these people, causing those who came to them in need, asking why God was killing their family and friends, to become disillusioned. This caused many to turn away from the church, and look inwards instead, leading to the hugely influencial humanist movement. It was through these changes within their society that theatre was able to change and blossom into an act of freedom, a means in which society and state could be critiqued, a way to bring their viewers some escape from their hard laberous
Brechtian theatre, also known as epic theatre, strives to keep the audience members objective and prevents
Willett, John, trans. and ed. Brecht on Theatre: The Development of an Aesthetic. New York: Hill and Wang, 1986.
Bertolt Brecht and Constantin Stanislavski are regarded as two of the most influential practitioners of the twentieth century, both with strong opinions and ideas about the function of the theatre and the actors within it. Both theories are considered useful and are used throughout the world as a means to achieve a good piece of theatre. The fact that both are so well respected is probably the only obvious similarity as their work is almost of complete opposites.
The name most associated with excellence in theatre is William Shakespeare. His plays, more than any other playwright, resonate through the ages. It may be safe to say that he has influenced more actors, directors, and playwrights than any thespian in the history of the stage. But what were his influences? During the Middle Ages theatre was dominated by morality, miracle, and mystery plays that were often staged by the church as a means to teach the illiterate masses about Christianity. It wasn’t until the early sixteenth century that Greek tragedy experienced a revival, in turn, inspiring a generation of renaissance playwrights.
Theatre as we know it now was born more than two thousand years ago and has gone through many streams until it reached the current modernity. Among these streams is the avant-garde theatre. This theatre achieved a break in the traditional theatre and became the forefront of a new experimental theatre. Therefore it is necessary to ask how this theatre started, what impact it had on society and if this type of theatre is still common in our modern era.
Theatre first came about from all different cultures acting out part of their bible, or performing rituals to the Gods. It was not until the middle ages when dramatists wrote about all aspects of life. Theatre has therefore changed continuously to suit the demands of each new age for fantasy, spectacle, or serious drama.