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EPIC THEATRE
Epic Theatre
• a style of avant-garde theatre
• early to mid-1900s; began in Germany
• developed and popularized by
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
• German poet, playwright, and
director
• left Germany when Hitler came
to power
• blacklisted for being a
Communist in the U.S.;
eventually testified before
HUAC
• began the Berliner Ensemble
with his actress wife Helene
Weigel
(1898-1956)
Some of Brecht’s Plays…
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Mother Courage and Her
Children
Galileo
The Threepenny Opera
Brecht’s Philosophy of Theatre
• Theatre should
provoke social
change.
Brecht’s Philosophy of Theatre
• Theatre should
teach or convey
information.
Brecht’s Philosophy of Theatre
• Theatre should
make moral
observations.
Brecht’s Philosophy of Theatre
• Theatre should
NOT be a braindead escape!!!
In other words, you have to make society
THINK so society can CHANGE!!!
They cannot become too involved with the
story or identify with the characters.
1. Always remind the audience that they are
watching a play.
2. Actor and audience both must be
emotionally distanced from the characters.
#1 + #2 = Brecht’s
Verfremdungseffekt
(Distancing/Alienation/
Estrangement Effect)
How did Brecht achieve
Verfremdungseffekt?
• Use simple, non-realistic scenery and
props
• Insert comedy in emotional/serious events
• Allow the audience to see behind the
scenes (lighting equipment, set changes)
• Have actors change costumes or
character onstage
• Project or read captions summarizing the
action
CAPTION: DALARNA, SWEDEN. SPRING,
1624. GUSTAVIUS ADOLPHUS, KING
OF SWEDEN, IS RECRUITING MEN FOR
HIS WAR AGAINST POLAND. THE
CANTEEN WOMAN, ANNA FIERLING,
BETTER KNOWN AS MOTHER
COURAGE, LOSES A SON.
(Act One, Scene 1, of Mother Courage and Her Children)
• Intentionally interrupt action for
music and songs in order to make
a point or give a message
“The Army Song” from The Threepenny Opera
Johnny joined up and Jimmy was there and George got a Seargant's rating
Don't give your right name the Army don't care
And the life is so fascinating
Let's all go barmy, live off the Army
See the world we never saw
If we get feeling down we wander into town
And if the population should greet us with indignation
We chop off your bits because we like our hamburgers raw
Johnny drank up till his gut caved in and Jimmy did not drink tea and George replied
with a right to the chin
For the army is just a pink tea
Let's all go barmy, live off the Army
See the world we never saw
If we get feeling down we wander into town
And if the population should greet us with indignation
We chop off your bits because we like our hamburgers raw
Johnny is missing Jimmy is dead and George went crazy shooting
But blood is blood and red is red
And the army is still recruiting.
Let's all go barmy, live off the Army
See the world we never saw
If we get feeling down we wander into town
And if the population should greet us with indignation
We chop off your bits because we like our hamburgers raw
The Brechtian Actor…
• must always be in
control of his
emotions (detached
like an observer
describing an
accident he saw)
The Brechtian Actor…
• must always be
aware of the
audience (break the
fourth wall)
The Brechtian Actor…
• in rehearsal, must speak his stage
directions and refer to himself in third
person
(“He sat on the sofa.” “She asked him how
he was feeling.”)
“Do not fear death so much but rather
the inadequate life.” --Bertolt Brecht