Brecht and Epic Theatre

Question 1

When and where did epic theatre originate?

Answer 1

• Germany, pre-, during and after WW2 (before 1939-after 1945)

Question 2

What is the world view of epic theatre?

Answer 2

• anti-war
• anti-materialism
• anti-capitalism

Question 3

What is the purpose of epic theatre?

Answer 3

• wants audience to be critically aware
• must be able to make changes in the present as a result of what they have seen
• didactic

Question 4

What are the themes in epic theatre?

Answer 4

• socio-political
• e.g. universal suffering in war; political parables

Question 5

What are the key features of epic theatre?

Answer 5

• verfremdungseffekt
• historification

Question 6

What is verfremdungseffekt?

Answer 6

• distancing technique
• deliberately reminding audience that they are in the theatre and should be reflectively critical of what they see
• numerous theatrical devices to achieve this

Question 7

What is historifications?

Answer 7

• displacing the subject from the present into the past

Question 8

What is the plot of an epic theatre play like?

Answer 8

• plot punctuated by narration and songs
• prologues, interludes, epilogues
• breaking the fourth wall
• didatic (intends to teach us something, a moral)

Question 9

What is the structure of an epic theatre play like?

Answer 9

• not necessarily linear
• episodic
• spanning/jumping between time and space

Question 10

What are characters like in epic theatre?

Answer 10

• comment on themselves
• may directly address audience
• may speak in third person
• presented or demonstrated to the audience
• use of gestus to demonstrate social function of character; masks, emphasis on ensemble

Question 11

How is music used in epic theatre?

Answer 11

• functional music
• not incidental
• songs comment on and punctuate action
• music used to juxtapose mood of a scene
• often consciously unmelodic
• music used to break audience’s empathy

Question 12

How is light and staging used in epic theatre?

Answer 12

• hard white light from visible source
• staging techniques visible
• projections (film and slides)
• titles used for scenes
• costumes & props made to look well-worn
• scene and costume changes could be done in full view of audience