Origin of Epic Theatre

ORIGINS OF EPIC THEATRE

JOE CARROLL

2nd HND PERFORMING ARTS

Introduction

In the following essay I will explain the origins of epic theatre and what is actually meant by the term epic theatre. I will look at the people who influenced this form of theatre, the essential elements and how they differ from naturalism and affect the actor.

I will also look at the production elements and how they differ from other types of theatre.

Origins of Epic Theatre

Bertolt Brecht was a playwright and practitioner who wrote plays which attacked bourgeois values. His plays were full of humour but bleak and cynical.

Erwin Piscator was a director who developed left wing expressionist theatre �agitprop’. This was made up of a shortening of the words agitation and propaganda.

He was a Marxist director who also developed left wing expressionist theatre �agitprop’. This was made up of a shortening of the words agitation and propaganda. His aim was to make theatre part of the social struggle. Agitprop was songs and short sketches which would hopefully bring about political action through creating agitation in the audiences mind. He wanted the spectators to act on what they had seen. His aims were to influence voters, raise class consciousness and clarify what communist policy was.

The communist party commissioned him to create Revue Roter Rummel in 1924. It was a collection of statistics, factual information, slide projection, dance, gymnastics with music and sketches which was taken around workers meeting halls. The 2 main characters, a master butcher and an unemployed workers began arguing in the audience and went up onto the stage. They remained there giving comments throughout from bourgeois and proletarian points of view.

His main aim, he said was to create �direct action in the theatre’: “I hoped to achieve propagandistic effects which would be more powerful than it was possible with plays, where the ponderous structure and problems tempt you to psychologies and constantly effect barriers between the stage and auditorium.”

Bartolt Brecht and director Erwin Piscator decided that they found realism in the west limited and unable to face new realities of the world. Brecht is often associated with the term Epic Theatre although Piscator was the first to use it.

Piscator was director at the Volksbuhne (1924- 27). At his own theatre (on Nollendorfplatz), he produced plays which were social and political.

He wanted his productions to contain three main qualities. He felt he must have these through his political commitment. These qualities were as follows:

- Totality (represent whole)

- Immediacy (contemporaneity)

- Authenticity. (force spectators to act on it)

Brecht and Piscator set about producing a drama which discussed political and social issues. This new form of drama would come under the name of �episches theatre’, �epic theatre’.

Their aim was provoke the audience mentally rather than evoke them emotionally. This was very different from the social realism and naturalistic styles of Stanislavski. The actors would have to have a different attitude to the play they acted in. Actors could not remain indifferent to their role as had been the case up until then. He must remain outside the role and comment on it. If he creates a dramatic illusion then he fails. This would only make the audience applaud him instead of them actually thinking about what had happened.

Brecht created a style in which he could talk to the audience directly. He wanted to make sure they would not forget what was said at the end of the production. He was also trying to get the working class