Epic Theatre

Bertolt Brecht
By Elisa Ronga

Bertolt Brecht Background

playwriter, director, poet ,theorist and Marxist Born: February 10, 1898, Augsburg, Germany Died: August 14, 1956, East Berlin

Marxism
1928- Brecht attended the workers Marxist School social change in terms of economic factors, according to which the means of production provide the economic base, which influences or determines the political and ideological superstructure. Brecht had been influenced by expressionism and had collaborated with Erwin Piscator, father of political theatre and himself ready to experiment with new technique.

In Exile
Hitlers rise to power put Brecht into exile Visited Paris, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.
The Life of Galileo (1938) The Life of Galileo (1938) Mother Courage and Her Children (1939) Mother Courage and Her Children (1939) The Good Person of Setzuan (1940) The Good Person of Setzuan (1940) Puntila and His Man Matti (1941) Puntila and His Man Matti (1941) The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (1941) The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (1941)

In 1941 he travelled to America where he wrote:

The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1945) The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1945)

Other Plays
He was concerned with political issues:
He Who Says Yes (1929) He Who Says Yes (1929) He Who Says No (1930) He Who Says No (1930) The Measures Taken (1930) The Measures Taken (1930)

He was also interested in demonstrating class exploitation:

The Exception and the Rule (1938) The Exception and the Rule (1938)

In America
1947 Brecht was summoned before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Conduct investigations of un-American propaganda in the US, developing in foreign countries and attacks the US government or the Constitution Brecht was called since Hollywood made a movie out of Brechts play of Nazi savagery in Prague He gave evidence to counter their opinion

Bertolt Brecht
He returned to Berlin in 1948 Established the "Berliner Ensemble" with his wife and leading actor Helene Weigel.

Epic Theatre
associating epic with the ancient poets who narrated of heroic deeds Didactic drama
forces the spectator to look at the issues being raised in a critical way Brecht said that "the essential point of the epic theatre is perhaps that it appeals less to the feelings than to the spectators reason

The Alienation Effect

the verfremdungseffekt where the actor makes it clear to the audience that s/he is not the character, but is commenting on the character.
scene-by-scene summary of the action. masks projections which summarise stage events visible stage machinery

Acting/Staging Techniques
Breaking the fourth wall Narrative not a plot songs in Brecht's plays is used not to heighten the emotion of the scenes but to commentate or narrate what is going on. Audience studies the play, does not share the experience Reason vs. feeling Minimal, unrealistic props Actor is detached from the character Narration, no characters, are the point of interest Gestus-a theatrical technique that helps define the emotion within a character and the context they are in.