Epic Theatre

Question 1

contexts of the style

Answer 1

• influenced by WW1
• influenced by philosophies of G.W.F Hegel and Karl Marx
• influenced by rising regimes (socialism, communism, nazism, capitalism)

Question 2

key practitioners

Answer 2

• Bertolt Brecht

- Erwin Piscator

Question 3

intention and purpose

Answer 3

• force the audience to think critically about money, power and ethics
• wakes audience to political realities outside the theatre
• appeal is intellectual, not emotional
• stop audience empathising with the characters and becoming caught up in the action

Question 4

conventions

Answer 4

• breaking the fourth wall
• transformation of object, time, place, character
• symbolic gesture
• narration
• placards and/or signs to give info about plot, character, setting period, events
• character changes on stage
• actors playing multiple characters
• reading stage directions
• explaining the scene before it happens

Question 5

origins of style

Answer 5

• mid-20th centruy from the theories and practice of a number of theatre practitioners

Question 6

gestus

Answer 6

• a theatrical technique that helps define emotion within a character and the context they’re in
• gesture and social meaning into one movement stance or vocal display
• can be alienating and jarring