Theatre of the Absurd: Started in Paris after WWII in which playwrights examined new-found existentialism in the face of such destruction and explored what happened in a meaningless existence in which even communication means nothing. Still, there is often an element of humor despite the tragedy of the situation; repetition and non-logic are constant traits as well. The characters are left alone in an inexplicable world and either fall into routine or have a crisis as they realize there is an outside force that does not care. Characters often act in pairs. Regarding language, breakdown of logic lends to nonsense and misunderstanding. The plot does not follow traditional form and often cycles.
Crics 1949 Neher design for Brecht's adaptation of Antigone.
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Epic Theatre: An early-mid 20th century German movement popularized by Brecht in which theatre must cause an alienation effect in the audience that forces them to recognize that they are watching a constructed performance instead of “getting lost” in the spectacle or the characters. So, the audience must watch the situation and have a critical understanding of the parallels with the contemporary time. Often this is done by breaking the fourth wall, having multiple casting, and showing artifice.
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The Living Theatre: The oldest American experimental theatre group, it was founded in 1947 by Judith Malina and Julian Beck. Early on, they performed work by unique European playwrights and modernist poets and served as a sort of Beat-style theatre. They have a focus on communal structures in art and attempt to counteract complacency in audiences by taking elements from Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty, which emphasized assaulting the audience’s senses to initiate a breakdown.
Oh, What a Lovely War!: A 1963 musical from the Theatre Workshop, the piece utilized found WWI songs and explored how people lose their individuality by conforming. The piece was developed through the ensemble through improvisations and other devising methods. The piece was incredibly popular, despite the dark text. |
The drill scene from Oh, What A Lovely War!
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