20th Century "isms" Flashcards
Futurism: When, where
Began in Italy
1809
Moved to Russia
Symbolism: When, where?
1880s-early 20th century
Began in France
Symbolism: Who, what plays?
Alfred Jarry-Ubu Roi ; Henrik Ibsen: Wild Duck: Maurice Maerterlinck- Pelleas and Melisande; The Blue Bird
Symbolism: Designers
Appia and Craig Designers
What was Appia and Craig inspired by?
Theatre of the Far East
Symbolism: World view
Anti-realistic
Intuitive
World of dreams and imagination
Symbolism: Purpose
To represent the true meaning of life, which is spiritual not materialistic
Symbolism: Key Features
Simplicity
metaphorical
evocative of feeling
Symbolism: Plot
Doesn’t use ‘well made play’ structure
Vague & obscure plot
Symbolism: Character
No personality of their own
Symbols of the inner life of the writer
Characters controlled by fate
Symbolism: Dialogue
Sometimes staccato delivery
Symbolism: Themes
Inner meaning and beauty
Symbolism: Music/Aural Elements
Music, poetry and dance were integrated
Symbolism: Spectacle
Atmosphere/mood created by lighting, colour, shape, lines
Exaggerated movements
Greater visual beauty on stage
Expressionism: When
WW1 Onwards
Started in Germany
Expressionism: Who, what plays?
George Kaiser-Gas
Ernst Toller-Masse-Mensch
Expressionism: Worldview
Anti-realistic Subjective reality-dreams Spirit Visions Unconscious desires Hallucinations Anti-materialism and anti-industrialism
Expressionism: Purpose
To represent the inner feelings and experiences of characters
Journey of the soul
Protect against contemporary social order
Expressionism: Key Features
Exaggeration
Distortion
Heightened style
Theatrical devices eg. chorus, narrator, soliloquies, unusual stage effects
Expressionism: Plot
Episodic
Expressionism: Character
Protagonist central-everything seen through his eyes
Protagonist tortured by events and society
Other characters dehumanised
Expressionism: Dialogue
Staccato delivery Illogical Rhythmical Unrealistic Highly emotional Abrupt
Expressionism: Themes
Show how humanity’s spiritual potential can be realised
Attack capitalist values in industrialised societies
Expressionism: Music/Aural elements
Used to evoke emotional response from audience
Rhythmical
Choral chants
Use of repetition
Expressionism: Spectacle
Pictorial Different levels used Designed to bring out thoughts and feeling of protagonist Stylised movement Exaggerated shapes Bizarre costumes and masks
Futurism: Founder
Fillipo Tommasso Marinetti
Futurism: Worldview
Reject the past
Glorify machine age and technology
Futurism: Purpose
Wish to transform humanity
Futurism: Key Features
Compress time & space
Fast-moving
Multiple unrelated scenes shown at the same time
Futurism: Plot
Anti-literary
Fast-moving
Love of speed
Futurism: Character
Directly in front of audience