That's the magic of art and the magic of theatre: it has the power to transform an audience, an individual, or en masse, to transform them and give them an epiphanal experience that changes their life, opens their hearts and their minds and the way they think.
Brian Stokes Mitchell
In the vast realm of theatre, one of the most prominent figures is none other than Bertolt Brecht, the German playwright and director, whose innovative approach to theatrical performance continues to shape the art form to this day.
Recognised as a distinct departure from traditional theatre, Brechtian theatre invites audiences to actively participate in the theatrical experience through a variety of theatrical techniques that have become central to contemporary theatre. At its core, Brechtian techniques encompass the principles of estrangement and epic theatre, both of which aim to challenge the passive role of the spectator and provoke critical reflection and intellectual engagement.
In this article, we delve into the fundamental principles of Brechtian theory, exploring its techniques and applications within contemporary theatre. Whether you're a seasoned actor looking to expand your repertoire or a newcomer eager to explore alternative approaches to performance, this article will provide insight into the intricacies of Brechtian acting methods and their enduring impact on modern theatre.
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Who Was Bertolt Brecht?
Brecht is the key figure of our time, and all theatre work today at some point starts or returns to his statements and achievements.
Peter Brooke
Bertolt Brecht was born in Germany in 1898 and died at the age of 58 in 1956 in the city of Berlin, East Germany. He is best known for his literary works, poetry, being a playwright, a theorist of epic theatre and the Brechtian acting method.
Brecht lived in Munich during the Weimar Republic and then during Nazi Germany, he fled to seek exile first in Scandinavia and then in the United States.
As a prolific writer and theorist of modern dramaturgy, Brecht's work was deeply influenced by the political and artistic climate of early twentieth-century Germany. Amid the aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism, Brecht and other politically conscious artists were compelled to confront the new social and political realities through their productions.
What Is Brechtian Theatre?
Brechtian refers to the theatrical techniques and theories developed by the influential playwright Bertolt Brecht. Brechtian theatre is a form of performance that challenges traditional theatrical conventions by engaging audiences in critical thinking and social reflection.
Brecht's goal was to remain objective and for actors to stay unemotional so that the audience could make rational political decisions after observing his works on the stage.
Brechtian Acting
Brechtian actors embody characters with a focus on conveying broader social and political themes through physical gestures and interactions, aiming to provoke thought and dialogue about the world around us.
Some of the most known Brechtian acting techniques include the following:
- Narration: Brecht enjoyed using narrative to remind the audience that they were watching a story and not realism. The narrator would often tell the crowd what was going to happen before it happened so that audience would not be as emotional,
- Actors Coming Out of Character: during moments of heightened drama, actors would come out of character to remind the spectator that they were watching a fiction play,
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Brecht's plays included the breaking of the wall between the audience and the actors. The breaking of the fourth wall would be accomplished by actors directly addressing the audience with a speech, comment or question,
- Use of Song and Music: songs would be played in the background to remind the crowd that they are not watching real life.
All of the previously mentioned techniques can be currently observed while watching the plays of other theatre directors or playwrights around the world, and are often contrasted to more traditional methods such as the practical aesthetic acting technique.
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Key Elements of the Brechtian Technique
The characteristics of actors featured in a Brecht play are very distinct and easy to recognise. Brechtian's acting methods were developed to separate an actor's thoughts and emotions from the character they were portraying. Commenting on a character's action proved to be very useful in showing the personage's flaws.
The style of acting used in Brecht and Brecht-influenced productions are the following:
| Key Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Brechtian Theatre | A theatrical tradition and style developed by Bertolt Brecht, emphasizing critical thinking and social reflection among audiences. Brechtian theatre employs techniques such as the alienation effect, episodic storytelling, and direct address to the audience. | "Mother Courage and Her Children"is a quintessential example of Brechtian theatre, featuring episodic storytelling, direct address, and social commentary on war and capitalism. |
| Alienation Effect | Also known as Verfremdungseffekt, it is a technique used to disrupt the audience's emotional immersion in the narrative, prompting them to observe events analytically rather than empathetically. This technique encourages critical reflection and prevents passive spectatorship. | In "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" by Brecht, characters may directly address the audience or use exaggerated gestures to remind viewers of the artificiality of the performance, thereby creating a sense of alienation. |
| Epic Theatre | A style of theatre associated with Brecht, characterized by episodic storytelling, non-linear narrative structures, and the use of various distancing techniques to encourage intellectual engagement and critical analysis among audiences. | "The Good Person of Szechwan" employs epic theatre techniques by presenting the story in a series of disconnected scenes, each highlighting different aspects of society and morality, encouraging audience reflection. |
| Gestus | Refers to the physical embodiment of social relationships and character traits by actors in Brechtian theatre. Gestus aims to convey broader social and political themes through physical gestures, movements, and interactions between characters. | In "The Threepenny Opera," Mack the Knife's swaggering walk and flamboyant gestures convey his disregard for societal norms, highlighting themes of corruption and decadence in Weimar-era society. |
| Direct Address | A technique used in Brechtian theatre where actors break the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience, often providing commentary on the action or offering insights into the characters' motivations. Direct address serves to engage the audience actively in the performance. | In "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui," characters frequently address the audience, drawing parallels between the rise of a fictional dictator and the political climate of Brecht's time, encouraging critical reflection. |
| Episodic Storytelling | A narrative structure commonly found in Brechtian theatre, characterized by the presentation of events in a disconnected or fragmented manner. Episodic storytelling aims to prevent emotional identification and encourages audiences to analyze the broader social and political context of the narrative. | "The Life of Galileo" presents key moments in the scientist's life without strict chronological order, allowing audiences to focus on the ideological conflicts and societal implications of Galileo's discoveries. |
| Social and Political Commentary | Central to Brechtian theatre, this involves the exploration of societal issues, power dynamics, and political ideologies through the narrative, characters, and thematic elements of the performance. Brechtian theatre seeks to provoke critical reflection and dialogue about these issues. | Example: "The Mother" by Brecht offers a critique of capitalist society through the story of a mother who becomes politically radicalised, highlighting the struggles of the working class and the injustices of the legal system. |
| Constructed Reality | The acknowledgment within Brechtian theatre that the performance is a constructed and artificial representation of reality. Techniques such as the use of signs, projections, and placards remind audiences of the theatrical artifice, encouraging them to engage with the performance critically. | In "The Caucasian Chalk Circle," the use of minimalistic set design and visible stage machinery reminds audiences of the theatrical construction, prompting them to focus on the underlying themes of justice and morality. |
What Is Epic Theatre?
Epic theatre has a fractured narrative and often jumps about through time that is not in chronological order. Epic theatre also shows an argument and expresses a clear political statement.
A genre of theatre that was established in the mid-20th century to respond to the political, social and economic climate of the world. The epic theatre genre, or dialectical theatre, was highly political and had the purpose of forcing the audience to think introspectively about the specific moments that were occurring on the stage and why they were happening in that way.
Without becoming attached to the characters and the story, which is commonplace in dramatic theatre, the crowd is invited to recognise social issues and create their own real opinions that are not tainted with emotion.
It is important to note that epic theatre is very different from dramatic theatre. Dramatic theatre has the purpose of entertaining, has a plot or a storyline that the audience can follow and resolves all the issues presented in the end. Epic theatre is very different because it is objective, lacks empathy and the scenes in plays are episodic which means that they are cut up into chunks rather than slowly building tension.
Famous practitioners of epic theatre include Bertolt Brecht as the main component, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Vladimir Mayakovsky and Erwin Piscator.
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Key Examples of Brechtian Theatre
Some of Brecht's most famous stage plays include Mother Courage and Her Children, Life of Galileo and The Good Person of Szechwan.
The themes of his early stage plays were often influenced by his Marxist thoughts and were extremely political bringing up ideas of Marxism. Brecht did not want his audience to sit down and get lost in the story of the play; he believed that it would be best for his audience to have opinions. To accomplish involvement of the crowd, he brought up themes that were ironic, provocative and sparked interest.
It is important to note that Brecht's works were most famous after the Second World War in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Even though his theatre works faded in popularity after these decades, Brecht's influence is still present in many theatres all over the world. He is widely known as being the man that changed the face of modern-day theatre.
Artists Influenced By Brecht's Theatre Techniques
Brecht's plays are still famous today and have influenced many playwrights and filmmakers. Even after more than 60 years since his death, Brecht's talent cannot be overestimated. He is the father of epic theatre, and his plays have been revived many times by various stage companies all around the world.
Brecht wanted art to be realistic and desired to address current issues while remaining true to his ideals and he would be overjoyed to discover that many daring artists in the film and theatre world have followed his footsteps.
Below are several famous directors who have implemented Brecht's techniques on the silver screen:
Lars Von Trier: in his film Dogville starring Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall and Paul Bettany, Von Trier again refers to the Brecht's stage play The Three Penny Opera by using the revenge-song Pirate Jenny as the inspiration for his 2003 picture. Grace, played by Nicole Kidman, is hiding away from the law in the town of Dogville and after some time she discovers that the townspeople do not like her and they begin to show hostility towards her character.
The primary Brechtian concepts that be observed in von Trier's films include the theatrical distancing elements, the division of chapters with names and the fact that Von Trier explains to the audience how the film will end. Lars Von Trier is indeed avant-garde and a lover of Brechtian techniques!
Jean Luc Goddard: widely regarded by most critics as being one of the film directors who most frequently used the Brechtian techniques in his movies. Godard made it possible for filmgoers to ignore the fact that they were watching a movie since the actors who spoke directly to the audience, the music was cued in the wrong places, and there were random endings. All of the previously mentioned elements are iconic Brecht devices. All of Goddard's films demonstrated Brecht techniques but the 1965 film Pierrot Le Fou is where verfremdungseffekt elements are most present.
There is no denying the fact that Brecht was a true artist and intellectual that revolutionised twentieth-century theatre. His techniques will continue to be used by theatre experts and film enthusiasts all over the world for generations to come.
As an aspiring artist, it is important to have a basic understanding of the various acting methods that are being used by those in the performing arts such as the grace and complexity of classical acting, the everlasting effectiveness of Stanislavski's system, the realistic and truthful Meisner technique, and the no-nonsense ways of practical aesthetics.
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