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el dog
1 year ago

this was really helpful my slime

2 years ago

[…] script is an enchanting example of the Brechtian epic theater, and I would be the first to fangirl from the rooftops — if it weren’t such a poor, poor […]

Trish
4 years ago

Excellent- Thank you very much

Luca
4 years ago

Hi! This is a really informative article, but i was just wondering if you knew a bit about Brecht’s use of tableaux? I’m doing an assignment about Brecht and I’m not sure if he would just stop the action completely or if he would sometimes have one character moving in the scene with the other actors frozen! Thank you for your time!

Itohan Ott
5 years ago

Thank you Justin, reading this article has been refreshing and it has helped me with my stage presentation

cynthia
5 years ago

Hi, I’m a research student and my subject is about Russian constructivism as an influence on the scenographic design of Bertolt Brecht, I want to quote you but I would also like to know where I get that information from please. Thank you!

Kaylee Adair
5 years ago

Can you help me out a bit, I would love to cite your work so I can give credit to your ideas. I’m using some of the things you say as the foundation for one of my papers in university.

archie
5 years ago

great stuff, really informative and developed research 🙂

Pippa
5 years ago

Hi guys

Stumbled apon this site by accident. I’m starting to teach Caucasian Chalk Circle to my class this term.

I teach at an all boys school in South Africa
We are having similar debates here over use of alianation. I use enstrange or to make strange to remove or de familiarization never alienation.

Claire Davies
Reply to  Pippa
1 year ago

Hi,

I also use ‘to make strange’. However, I find myself explaining the other terms as so many people use alienation and I want them to make the links.

Asigbee Akpene Ama
6 years ago

Useful information. Keep it up.!

mamun mia
6 years ago

thanks, I am pleased read the acting mathod

Alex
6 years ago

Hi- what would you say the definition of epic theatre is? And the socio-political context??

Lezani
Reply to  Alex
5 years ago

i have the same question and can’t find the answer anywhere

Henry Jackson
Reply to  Alex
2 years ago

“epic plays employed a large narrative (as opposed to a smaller plot), spanning many locations and time frames […] epic plays used non-linear, fractured plots, where the events of a single episode were not necessarily a result of the preceding one” (THIS ARTICLE).

Austin
6 years ago

This material is very useful as it will be a very handy tool for me as I teach courses in “Introduction to directing” and “Advanced acting”. I look forward to more of such.

Elizabeth
6 years ago

How might you take a regular musical in America and make it more interesting by adding Brechtian touches to become more artistic? I already have expresisonism and heightened realism as a goal. (This site is thought provoking…) Thanks for y our info and support.

Ron
Reply to  Elizabeth
6 years ago

HI Elizabeth
Have you seen Hamilton. What do you think of it’s techniques?

Edward Wheeler
Reply to  Ron
5 years ago

I was unable to afford tickets to see Hamilton. Can you tell me if Hamilton employed Brechtian techniques?

Eno
7 years ago

This was extremely helpful in aiding my project surrounding Brechtian theatre and practices. Thank you so much for posting this, it means a lot to have so much information at my disposal!

amber
7 years ago

neeeeeed help!!!
what would you say Brechts theatrical influences would be?

Tshepiso
Reply to  amber
7 years ago

Hi there

Brecht was highly influenced by Marxism. This is because he believed in an equal society and during his times Capitalism was at the forefront. He believed that Capitalism could not provide for its people and wanted a more communist approach and that was marxism.

He was also influenced by Expressionism. However it wasn’t the whole expressionist movement but certain aspects of it listed below. Expressionism:
– abolished theatre conventions,characterisation, plot and structure
-Playwright represented thought, feelings and fate
-There was a poetic dialogue used which was sometimes non-sensical
– used unconnected scenes instead of a linear plot in the structure (influenced by the playwrights Georg Buchner and Frank Wedekind
However I must mention that in Brecht’s epic theatre, emotions were removed from expressionism

Erwin Piscator influenced Brecht in his semi-revolutionary theatre after world war one. He used themes that were against the government back then and turned them into skits and made songs, painted and drew posters. His goal was to re-educate and uplift the lower class/oppressed class. He used puppets, projections and screens and believe that art could not just be for art’s sake but should awaken social consciousness.

Elizabethan theatre practises
– a bare stage with the audience around it
-A narrator and entertainment
– personal issues and political being unravelled with changing scenes

Oriental theatre practises
– Verfremdung from chinese acting style
-Dispassionate Noh Plays
– revolving stage of Kabuki theatre from the Japanese

I hope that helps 🙂

Auwal M Bashir
7 years ago

I am student of theatre and performing Arts and I am happy for meet you because I have learnt a lots and I know brecht more better now. thank you sir

Bella
7 years ago

What techniques could i teach a class to make them get into brecht more ?

aarleah
7 years ago

I’m currently studying for my mock exams and this is a brilliant resource thank you so much!!!1

Elizabeth Stemann
7 years ago

Hi, thank you for the information. Is doubling (an actor plays 2 characters) a Brechtian technique? I doubt it but somebody told me it was so.Thank you.

Elizabeth Stemann
Reply to  Justin Cash
7 years ago

Thank you very much for your reply. There is any other place where you talk about it OR any other sources that I can check? thank you!

Migel silas
7 years ago

Wow tanks alot for em write ups..i want to knw did he(Brecht) Talked about anything on using of multimedia on stage?pls i need to knw in detail or if u can refrence me to any work fine.tanks

rameesha
8 years ago

its more helpful to me…thanks..

Luke
8 years ago

A great resource that has helped me develop throughout the entire year. From my Solo performance to developing descriptive language for my Performance analysis, this resource has helped a lot.

Thanks!

Kelly
Reply to  Justin Cash
2 years ago

Hi Justin what do you mean used to emotionally detach the audience (marginally)?

Lynn
8 years ago

A fantastic resource, thank you for developing these pages. Expect a lot of hits from South Australia as I will be sharing this with my students as it is so clear and accessible.

Brooke Obama
9 years ago

Fanks for dis, halp mi on mi asignement a lot. fanks agan

joanne
Reply to  Brooke Obama
8 years ago

lol
much spell

morris Joshua
9 years ago

What is it called when a performance does a breif overview of the play at the start…ie…in a short movment piece.. and therefore leaves the audience to then watch how it all took place, knowing already what took place? Does the techniqu have a name?

amy
Reply to  morris Joshua
8 years ago

I am not sure, but if you find out, please let me know 🙂

Luke
Reply to  amy
7 years ago

Form of Foreshadowing

Andre
9 years ago

We should stop writing “alienation techniques” once for all. This is an outright wrong translation of Brecht’s term “Verfremdung”. “Verfremdung” does NOT have anything to do with “Entfremdung” (alienation). Not in the slightest. “Defamliarization” is the correct term. “Entfremdung” is a Marxist term that has nothing to do with theatre although one might be tempted to confuse these things because Brecht was a Marxist.

Zanele Dubez
9 years ago

Well ariculated.Thank You so much guys!Kindly do the isms for me please.

Thank You
Zanele