Epic Theatre: Bertolt Brecht Research Task

Part 1: Historical Context of Brecht's life (Major Events, Geography, etc.) & simple Biography 

Bertolt Brecht is a german poet, and a marxist that eventually came up with the type of theatre called "Epic Theatre". He was born in Germany, on February 10th into a family with a catholic father, and a protestant mother. As a child, he had a heart disease called congenital heart condition as well as a facial tic, for which he was taken to a sanitarium. He went to a protestant school, and then later a private school where he suffered from a heart attack. Brecht has read a German translation of the Bible. Also, while growing up, he has joined in with a local newspaper, writing for it. He left school at 19, and beginning working from the war. However, he continued his education career at University as a medical student as well as writing a play called "Baal" about sexually transmitted diseases- which bring up the topic of his own interesting sexual life. 

Part 2: Brecht's Major Influences & Beliefs 

Bertolt Brecht's epic theatre was greatly influenced by Charlie Chaplin, and Karl Marx. His twist sense of humor and the political components and beliefs of the form of theatre was mainly impacted by his two oxymoronic influences. Being a young man, Bertolt Brecht was associated with artist, actors, cabaret musicians, and clowns- which also impact his unique theatrical form. He had realized after endeavouring the path of playwriting that it was the best form of expressing the social and political aspects of the nation. 

Part 3: Major Tenets/Characteristics of EPIC THEATRE 

A few of the elements of Epic Theatre are that: 

• Each scene is for itself, and the scenes are not in a consequent form 
• All scenes are in narrative
• The scenes are set in such a way that the spectators feel as if they are observers
• Breaking the fourth wall- when the actors address the audience directly 
• Alienation effect (Verfrumdungesffekt)- The use of lighting, sound, and acting in such a form, tha the audience members question it
• Gestus- The expression of an emotion of social and political aspects through a particular geture
• Gesture
• Morality
• Narrator to narrate the scenes, an addition to commentary (song, singer)
• Didactism- The teaching of a moral lesson

Part 4: Major differences of EPIC THEATRE vs. dramatic theatre of the time 

Dramatic Theatre	Epic Theatre
Plot	Narrative
One scene after the other	Each scene for itself
Involve the spectator in a stage situation	Turn the spectator into an observer

Part 5: Impact of Brecht's work in contemporary theatre

Contemporary theatre is the type of theatre where the performance is not separated from the audience. Many forms of contemporary theatre include thrust, amphitheatre, and theatre in the round. Along with epic theatre, Brecht has had an impact of the theatrical form of the contemporary theatre as well. His perspective of expressing the social and political through theatre as contributed in the development of many types of theatre; including epic, and contemporary theatre. 

Bibliography: 

http://www.gradesaver.com/author/bertolt-brecht/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_theatre
http://academic.evergreen.edu/curricular/ppandp/PDFs/Brecht-a%20brief%20overview.pdf