EPIC THEATRE

Question 1

dates (1)

Answer 1

1920s -1950s

Question 2

key figures and origins

Answer 2

-Bertolt brecht the german playwrite
-he was deeply influenced by his experiences as a medical ordeal in WW1 and his Marxist ideoligies

Question 3

SOPOCO (5)

Answer 3

-the rize of nazism in germany
-the great deression
-ww2
-ww1
-the devision of germany

Question 4

discuss the aims and intentions of the movement with three points and then expand on them (5)

Answer 4

-SOCIAL ACTION AND CHANGE: provoked critical thinking and social action. He believed that theatre should not just engage audiences intellectually but also inspire them to challenge societal injustices
-MARXIST IDEAOLOGY: exposed inequalities/contradictions of capitalism and advocated for a classless society
-DIDACTIC: conveyed moral lesson and promoted Marxist ideologies

Question 5

what is the Verfremdungseffekt (V-effekt) and its role in epic theatre (4)

Answer 5

the alienation effect was used to distance audiences emotionally and encourage critical detachment this was done through the following.
- directly addressing the audience by breaking the 4th wall
-episodic structure
-placards and projections
breaking illusion of reality

Question 6

discuss episodic structure and montage in epic theatre (4)

Answer 6

Epic Theatre plays are structured as a series of loosely
connected episodes or scenes, rather than following a traditional linear narrative.31 This allows for
the presentation of multiple perspectives, highlighting the complexities of social issues.

Question 7

discuss historification (4)

Answer 7

Brecht often set his plays in a different historical period to encourage audiences to
draw parallelsbetween the past and their own present, highlighting the recurring patterns of social
injustice and the potential for change

Question 8

discuss gestus (5)

Answer 8

Brecht emphasized the use of gestus, which encompasses a character’s physical
gestures, vocal tone, and overall demeanor.This technique aimed to reveal the character’ssocial attitude and relationships, emphasizing their social and political function rather than their
individual psychology.

Question 9

why did epic theatre incorporate elements of humor, comedy and entertainment? (3)

Answer 9

-makeexperience more engaging for
audiences
- to prevent them from becoming overly emotionally invested in the
characters and losing their critical detachment.

Question 10

discuss the production elements.

Answer 10

-NON-ILLUSIONISTIC STAGING: brecht rejected realistic set?props in favour of symbolic and suggestive elements. machines were often exposed to remind audience that they were watching a constructed performance.

Question 11

how were actors encouraged to approach their characters? (4)

Answer 11

present characters
rather than fully embodying them. They often spoke in the third person or directly addressed
the audience, further breaking the illusion of realism.