Epic theatre

1. EPIC EPIC
THEATRETHEATRE

2. Bertolt BrechtBertolt Brecht
•1898-19561898-1956
•Brecht was a German playwright, poet and Brecht was a German playwright, poet and
director as well as theatre practitioner. director as well as theatre practitioner.
•From his late 20’s Brecht remained a life-From his late 20’s Brecht remained a life-
long committed Marxist. long committed Marxist.
•Brecht is the creator of Epic Theatre.Brecht is the creator of Epic Theatre.

3. Epic TheatreEpic Theatre
•Brecht was convinced that theatre must Brecht was convinced that theatre must
aim to bring about social and political aim to bring about social and political
change. change.
•Epic Theatre aims to force the audience to Epic Theatre aims to force the audience to
critically think and make judgements on critically think and make judgements on
what they are seeing. what they are seeing.
•It tries to show how things in society It tries to show how things in society
could be different if attitudes could be could be different if attitudes could be
changed.changed.
“ “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a
hammer with which to shape it.” -Brechthammer with which to shape it.” -Brecht

4. The Form of Epic TheatreThe Form of Epic Theatre
•Emphasis is placed on the importance of a Emphasis is placed on the importance of a
social or political message before the social or political message before the
exploration of a character. exploration of a character.
•A reaction again Naturalism, Epic Theatre A reaction again Naturalism, Epic Theatre
breaks through the ‘fourth wall’ of the breaks through the ‘fourth wall’ of the
stage.stage.
•Brecht believed Theatre’s greatest Brecht believed Theatre’s greatest
function was to educate.function was to educate.

5. The Form of Epic TheatreThe Form of Epic Theatre
•Epic Theatre illuminates situations in the past to Epic Theatre illuminates situations in the past to
teach about the present.teach about the present.
•Epic Theatre uses a variety of effects and Epic Theatre uses a variety of effects and
techniques to constantly remind the audience techniques to constantly remind the audience
that what they are watching is only a that what they are watching is only a
representation of reality, not reality itself. These representation of reality, not reality itself. These
techniques are called the Verfremdungseffekt techniques are called the Verfremdungseffekt
(the distancing effect or making something (the distancing effect or making something
strange).strange).

6. Examples of the Examples of the
VerfremdungseffektVerfremdungseffekt
•Songs used as commentary on action, Songs used as commentary on action,
•The use of captions/placards,The use of captions/placards,
•Narrators,Narrators,
•An episodic format, An episodic format,
•Masks, Masks,
•Gestus, Gestus,
•Juxtapositioning, Juxtapositioning,
•Props/set, Props/set,
•LightingLighting