M.Rathor. Chapel en le Frith High Blood Brothers and Brecht Today’s lesson Objectives: To understand the intention of Brechtian Theatre To make links between Brecht’s epic Theatre and “Blood Bothers”

M.Rathor. Chapel en le Frith High In order to complete today’s work, you will need to know the meaning of these words. Please record them and their definition into your books. Rational Reflection Critical Climatic Catharsis Complacent Didactic Perspective There is a prize for the first table on which everyone has completed this.

M.Rathor. Chapel en le Frith High German poet, playwright, and theatrical reformer, one of the most prominent figures in the 20th- century theatre. In his works, Brecht was concerned with encouraging audiences to think rather than becoming too involved in the story and to identify with the characters. Brecht developed a form of drama called epic theatre in which ideas or didactic lessons are important. A Little About Brecht:

M.Rathor. Chapel en le Frith High Brecht wanted the answer to Lenin’s question ‘Wie und was soll man lernen?’ ('How and what should we learn?'). He created an influential theory of theatre named the epic theatre.epic theatre The idea of Epic Theatre is that a play should not cause the spectator to emotionally identify with the action before him or her. Instead, it should provoke rational self-reflection and a critical view of the actions on the stage. He believed that the experience of a climactic catharsis of emotion left an audience complacent. Instead, he wanted his audiences to use this critical perspective to identify social ills at work in the world and be moved to go forth from the theatre and effect change. Brecht’s theatre: Your first task is to attempt to decipher the red text and explain to me exactly what Brecht was trying to do with his Theatre

M.Rathor. Chapel en le Frith High Brecht’s Epic Theatre: The audience was discouraged from becoming emotionally involved with the characters through various techniques. The productions aimed to make audience members look at themselves (provoke rational self-reflection) and the world around them so that they could make a decision about what they had seen and the production would raise awareness of the issues that it covered (and a critical view of the actions on the stage). If the audience was satisfied with the ending and had been involved, Brecht believed that they would not question what they had seen on stage. A happy ending left the audience unthinking. Instead, he wanted his audiences to use this critical perspective to identify social ills at work in the world and be moved to go forth from the theatre and effect change. Your answers:

M.Rathor. Chapel en le Frith High His Alienation Technique, “ Verfremdungs-effekt” The use of anti-illusive techniques to remind the spectators that they are in a theatre watching an enactment of reality instead of reality itself. Such techniques included flooding the stage with harsh white light, regardless of where the action was taking place, and leaving the stage lamps in full view of the audience; Making use of minimal props and "indicative" scenery; Intentionally interrupting the action at key junctures with songs in order to drive home an important point or message; Projecting explanatory captions onto a screen or employing placards. From his actors Brecht demanded not realism and identification with the role but an objective style of playing, to become in a sense detached observers. The use of a narrator was designed to stop the audience from becoming involved in the action. Your next task is to decide which of these techniques are used in Blood Brothers. You do not have to delve into examples, but you do need to be able to support your idea.