Theatre of the Absurd

Theatre of the Absurd Essay.

The Theatre of the Absurd originated from experimental Arts of the

avant-garde in the 1920’s and 30’s. It highlighted the meaning of life

and came about as a result of the Second World War. It was also a

result of absurd plays having a highly unusual, innovative form,

aiming to startle the viewers.

In the Second World War, in the meaningless and godless post Second

World War world, it was no longer possible to keep using traditional

art forms and standards that had ceased being convincing. It openly

rebelled against conventional theatre. It was very anti-theatre,

coming across as surreal, senseless and plotless. Samuel Beckett and

Harold Pinter were known as the ‘absurd’ play writers. They both share

the views that man inhabits a universe with which he is out of key.

‘Come and Go’ by Samuel Beckett is a very simplified; basic play based

on three characters talking of the old days and their friendship.

Beckett was born 13th April 1906 near Dublin. He was awarded a Nobel

Prize for literature in 1969. ‘Black and White’ by Harold Pinter is

the core of a minimalist set with very little communication between

the characters. The play bases the two old women in a milk bar. It

comes over as a plot less play with very little meaning.

These two plays ‘Come and Go’ by Samuel Beckett and ‘Black and White’

by Harold Pinter both seem to carry very little meaning. On a surface

level, both plays are short. ‘Black and White’ is a non-trusting play

with evidence of emptiness. Both plays send out a message to the

audience. This is shown particularly where there are silences

throughout the plays.

Theatrical techniques used in ‘Come and Go’, show at the start of the

play, clearly how the...

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...nce to finish the

play, here the audience probably feel although the play is referring

to an old friendship that maybe once hung about the three characters

and they are bringing back memories between them.

In the Theatre of the Absurd, the two plays ‘Come and Go’ by Samuel

Beckett and ‘Black and White’ by Harold Pinter carry many similarities

and differences. They are both plays which carry no meaning and

characters have no identities. ‘Black and White’ is much longer than

‘Come and Go’. ‘Black and White’ is set in a more realistic modern

way, of two women sat in a bar having a typical talk, watching the day

go by. ‘Come and Go’ gives a more 1800’s feeling with the characters

having 1800’s names and the setting being very abnormal to a normal

more modern play. ‘Come and Go’ is a more atmospherically, tensional

play with the characters being more active.