AS Unit 1, Section BAS Unit 1, Section BStudy of a Set Text, ‘Oh What Study of a Set Text, ‘Oh What

A Lovely War!’A Lovely War!’

With study of Bertolt BrechtWith study of Bertolt Brecht

Unit 1 Section BUnit 1 Section B

• Studying a text from a Performance Studying a text from a Performance perspective, perspective,

• Looking at social/historical/cultural context,Looking at social/historical/cultural context,

• Studying a play’s Genre, Studying a play’s Genre,

• Developing an understanding of style, form, Developing an understanding of style, form, dramatic structure, characterisation and dramatic structure, characterisation and effects on an audience. effects on an audience.

Bertolt BrechtBertolt Brecht

• 1898-19561898-1956

• Brecht was a German playwright, poet Brecht was a German playwright, poet and director as well as theatre and director as well as theatre practitioner. practitioner.

• From his late 20’s Brecht remained a From his late 20’s Brecht remained a life-long committed Marxist. life-long committed Marxist.

• Brecht is the creator of Epic Theatre.Brecht is the creator of Epic Theatre.

Epic TheatreEpic Theatre• Brecht was convinced that theatre Brecht was convinced that theatre

must aim to bring about social and must aim to bring about social and political change. political change.

• Epic Theatre aims to force the Epic Theatre aims to force the audience to critically think and make audience to critically think and make judgements on what they are seeing. judgements on what they are seeing.

• It tries to show how things in society It tries to show how things in society could be different if attitudes could could be different if attitudes could be changed.be changed.

“ “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a

hammer with which to shape it.” -Brechthammer with which to shape it.” -Brecht

The Form of Epic TheatreThe Form of Epic Theatre

• Emphasis is placed on the Emphasis is placed on the importance of a social or political importance of a social or political message before the exploration of a message before the exploration of a character. character.

• A reaction again Naturalism, Epic A reaction again Naturalism, Epic Theatre breaks through the ‘fourth Theatre breaks through the ‘fourth wall’ of the stage.wall’ of the stage.

• Brecht believed Theatre’s greatest Brecht believed Theatre’s greatest function was to educate.function was to educate.

The Form of Epic TheatreThe Form of Epic Theatre

• Epic Theatre illuminates situations in the Epic Theatre illuminates situations in the past to teach about the present.past to teach about the present.

• Epic Theatre uses a variety of effects and Epic Theatre uses a variety of effects and techniques to constantly remind the techniques to constantly remind the audience that what they are watching is audience that what they are watching is only a representation of reality, not reality only a representation of reality, not reality itself. These techniques are called the itself. These techniques are called the Verfremdungseffekt (the distancing effect Verfremdungseffekt (the distancing effect or making something strange).or making something strange).

Examples of the Examples of the VerfremdungseffektVerfremdungseffekt• Songs used as commentary on action, Songs used as commentary on action, • The use of captions/placards,The use of captions/placards,• Narrators,Narrators,• An episodic format, An episodic format, • Masks, Masks, • Gestus, Gestus, • Juxtapositioning, Juxtapositioning, • Props/set, Props/set, • LightingLighting

Epic Theatre – an actor’s Epic Theatre – an actor’s perspectiveperspective

• An actor in Epic Theatre does not aim to An actor in Epic Theatre does not aim to become become the character (as they try in the character (as they try in Naturalism) instead they try to Naturalism) instead they try to present present the the character to the audience. Epic Theatre character to the audience. Epic Theatre values audiences’ thought over emotion values audiences’ thought over emotion therefore actors must try to prevent the therefore actors must try to prevent the audience becoming too attached to the audience becoming too attached to the characters. Attachment detracts from the characters. Attachment detracts from the critical judgement Epic theatre seeks. critical judgement Epic theatre seeks.

““Oh What A Lovely Way”Oh What A Lovely Way”

• Created in 1963 by Joan Littlewood Created in 1963 by Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop “Oh What A and her Theatre Workshop “Oh What A Lovely War” explores World War One Lovely War” explores World War One using many of Brecht’s techniques and using many of Brecht’s techniques and theories to great effect. theories to great effect.

• This will be studied in conjunction with This will be studied in conjunction with practical exploration of Brechtian practical exploration of Brechtian techniques in preparation for the techniques in preparation for the written paper. written paper.