What is Epic Theatre?
Epic Theatre is a style of theatre that uses the stage craft elements and dramatic elements in such a way that it distances the audience, and is intended to keep them awake and thinking about what they see and not become evolved or attached, this technique is called 'alianation'. The audience would be aware that they were watching a play.
Bertolt Brecht, the most famous play writer/director of epic theatre, created epic theatre in 1918 after he saw the devastation of World War 1. Brecht's aim of epic theatre was to challenge the audience, to make them think about what was happening on stage, about the issue. He wanted them to realise that there were ways that people could change the way the world is, to make it a better place. Through his plays Brecht wanted people to believe that they could change their fate and society. Brecht wanted the audience to have a reaction to what they were seeing. He wanted them to leave with an opinion of what happened and the issue the play was talking about, and wanted them to think about it.
Epic theatre can also be described as political confrontational and documentation in style. Brecht's style of theatre was heavily influenced by his political beliefs which was Marxism. He used Epic Theatre to get across his political views. Brecht saw Epic Theatre as educational entertainment.
Epic theatre got it's name from the fact that the play itself was made up of many disconnected scenes making it 'episodic'. The scenes didn't flow, they would often jump to different times and events. Each scene was for itself and would have it's own story and message.
Bertolt Brecht, the most famous play writer/director of epic theatre, created epic theatre in 1918 after he saw the devastation of World War 1. Brecht's aim of epic theatre was to challenge the audience, to make them think about what was happening on stage, about the issue. He wanted them to realise that there were ways that people could change the way the world is, to make it a better place. Through his plays Brecht wanted people to believe that they could change their fate and society. Brecht wanted the audience to have a reaction to what they were seeing. He wanted them to leave with an opinion of what happened and the issue the play was talking about, and wanted them to think about it.
Epic theatre can also be described as political confrontational and documentation in style. Brecht's style of theatre was heavily influenced by his political beliefs which was Marxism. He used Epic Theatre to get across his political views. Brecht saw Epic Theatre as educational entertainment.
Epic theatre got it's name from the fact that the play itself was made up of many disconnected scenes making it 'episodic'. The scenes didn't flow, they would often jump to different times and events. Each scene was for itself and would have it's own story and message.