Introduction into Epic Theatre Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht Epic Theatre Alienation

Brecht Theatre: The Focus Brecht set out to change people’s minds. He aimed to use theatre to show his audience what was wrong with society and then convince them to go out and change it. Brecht’s EPIC theatre was a way of presenting his political views. (Influenced by Marxism and its’ belief that many of the world’s problems are a result of capitalism) Types of human behaviour were studied to show why they happened and how that behaviour could be improved. The plays tell stories in a way designed to make the audience feel they are simply observers, watching the events happening on stage and making judgements about them. He altered the actor audience relationship by encouraging them to think in an active and critical way. Historification: Brecht’s plays were always based on history. He wanted the audience to look at the present through the past and see both objectively, unemotionally and with detachment.

The Brecht Technique Alienation or “verfremdungs” (to make something strange). Brecht’s aim was to constantly surprise, shock and challenge the audience, while reminding them that the play they were watching was simply a story being told to make a profound political point. Through the alienation technique, the audience were encouraged to remain objective. Brecht adopted a number of structural devices to create alienation…

There are no curtains in Brechtian theatre Structure: Episodic and Disjointed scene were used rather than have one scene flow smoothly into another, he wished to call attention to the knots of putting a scene together. Stagecraft: (symbolic staging, costume and props that suggest location). There are no curtains in Brechtian theatre   Sets and costume were often changed in front of the audience, reinforcing the idea of alienation. Lighting- bright light regardless of night/day.

Narration- Brecht’s plays made use of screens, large notices (made comments about the action happening on stage). Brecht sometimes used a narrator: an actor who talked directly to the audience, giving them information and reiterating the message of the play. Actors sometimes even narrated their stage directions

Song: the use of song was another alienation effect that could break the mood or action of the scene, reminding the audience that they were indeed watching a play. Songs were often used to comment on the action. Movement: inspired by Asian theatre. In particular, stylised, unemotional and formal gestures. Voice: singing, chanting, use of mechanical, strange sounded voices, disconnected non-human voices, accents

Acting Technique: Perform with an awareness of being watched The actor should remove themselves from the other actors both physically and emotionally. Focus performance to people (or groups of people) in the audience. (Breaking the 4th wall) Be critical of their characters, as through all the actions had happened in the past and you’re now judging them Stand in front of the mirror to study their gestures. Use robotic, mechanical, dreamlike and other non-realistic movements and voice Incongruity-Use opposite styles of acting, such as acting a series of death scenes in an outrageous way.

These conventions may suggest that Brecht was a little DIDACTIC… . BUT… His stories are balanced with songs and other devices intended to CAPTURE and hold the ATTENTION of the audience. Brecht’s concept of ALIENATION is often misinterpreted as a demand that spectators be continuously distanced from the events. In actuality, Brecht engages the audience empathetically, then through some device (such as a song) creates distance (much like the odes sung by the chorus at the end of each episode in Greek Theatre).

Perform The Giving Tree in the Style of Epic theatre The task: Perform The Giving Tree in the Style of Epic theatre In groups, devise a performance of the giving tree, experimenting with the conventions of Brecht’s Epic theatre. What do we learn from this story? What should the audience be aware of?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TZCP6OqRlE&feature=related

reveal about our true nature? What does The Giving Tree… reveal about our true nature?