Modern Theatre

Influences on Modern Theatre: Society of the Late 1800s-Mid 1900s

Revolutions and rebellion
Changing economies Against Victorian morality Against industrialization Against oppression

Influences on Modern Theatre: Theories from the Modern Era

Darwin: Theory of Evolution Nietzsche: Existentialism Marx: socialism Einstein: theory of Relativity Freud: Psychoanalysis

Influences on Modern Theatre: Inventions of the Modern Era

Telephone Incandescent lamp Flying machines Automobile

Romanticism
Rebellion against the constraints of the earlier neoclassical era Rejection of artistic rules Protagonist is a social outcast wanting justice, knowledge, and truth.

Romanticism: Dantons Death

Realism
Create the illusion of everyday life onstage All subject matter should be onstage Call attention to social problems in order to instigate change

Realism: A Dolls House

Naturalism
Similar to Realism Extreme attempt to dramatize human reality Present a picture of real life without making own presence felt Slice of Life

Naturalism: Miss Julie

Symbolism
Anti-realistic movement (1880-1910) Drama presents the mystery of being and the cosmos Concern with mood and atmosphere rather than a story Demand abstraction Symbols best represent the state of mind

Symbolism: The Intruder

Expressionism
Representation of Reality is distorted to communicate inner feelings Dramatic action is seen through the eyes of the protagonist, frequently seems distorted or dreamlike Subjective

Expressionism: Machinal

Epic Theatre or Theatre of Alienation

Championed by Bertolt Brecht Force the audience to remain emotionally detached (alienated) from dramatic action Work is highly theatrical to prevent emotional attachment Audience is aware they are in a theatre

Epic Theatre: Mother Courage and Her Children

Theatre of the Absurd (Absurdism) / Existentialism

There is little meaning to existence Humanity is alone in an irrational universe What happens in life cannot be explained logically; it is ridiculous Drama presents human existence as futile or absurd

Theatre of the Absurd: Waiting for Godot