Introduction to the Theatre

THE 101 / University of Idaho

Anti Realism in Drama

Historical Background:

	Burst of Creative Activity: Art and Language
	Infranchised Citizenry: Educated, Thinking, Voters and Consumers
	Acceptability of Cognitive Dissent
	Recognition of Analytical and Clinical Psychology and the Occult
	Edgar Allen Poe, Mysticism and Occult Symbology
	Fredrich Nietzche, Appolonian and Dionysian Modes (Arts vs. Ritual)
	Sigmund Freud Psyche and the Subconscious

Dionysian = Id

Appolonian = Ego

Superego

Carl Jung Dream States

Theatrical Reactions:

Paul Fort's Theatre Du Art:

Pellas and Messandra, first anti realism piece

No dialogue, gauze separation, no scenery

Richard Wagner, German Opera

Mythological Themes w Heavy Effects

Music was Used to Create Mood

Adolph Appia & Gordon Craig

Simplification and Minimalism

Light as Scenery, Representational Mass

Heavy Mood and Imagination

Reactions and Transformations from Realism:

Symbolism

Use of poetry, Imagery and Fantasy to replace "spiritual bankruptcy" of realism

Abstraction, Enlargement, and Innovation

August Strinberg's, "Dream Play"

Expressionism

Use of Mystical, Inner Spirit, Perceptions, Political Ideals

Stylized Movement and Speech

Absurdism

Complete deference to Standards, Rules, and Form

Futurism

Exhaulted Machine Age, Machismo, and War

Actor was portrayed by Light

Dadaism

Reaction to War, Sought to Create Imbalance, Chaos

Reactions and Transformations from Realism: (cont.)

Existentialism

Sarte and Camus

Surrealism

Subconscious is the Eye to the Soul and True Key to Knowledge

Appolonaire Chrysalis

Constructivism

Industrial Approach to Art, Severely Geometric, Machines for Acting

Formalism

Excessive Adherence to Recognized Structure and Presentation

Theatrical Movements:

Theatre of Alienation, Bertholt Brecht

	Epic in Nature
	'Rough' Theatre
	Historification of Theatre
	Alienation Effects
	Epic Nature / Eastern Themes
	Caucasian Chalk Circle

Theatre of the Absurd, Samuel Beckett

	'Holy' Theatre
	Unresolved Suspension
	Psychological Rejection
	Waiting for Godot

Theatre of Cruelty, Antoine Artaud

	Myth and Ritual
	Aggressive Subject Matter and Approach

Bio Mechanics, Meyerhold

	Physical Recall, Physicalization
	Contructivist Machines for Acting
	Acrobatic, Theatricalism
	Expressionistic Theatre, Eugene O'Niell
	Hairy Ape
	Disjointed Plot, Stocato like Dialogue
	Symbolic visual Scenery

The Poor Theatre, Jerzy Growtowski

	Student Prince
	No Spectacle, Environmental
	Total Physicalization

Agit-Prop Theatre, The Living Newspaper

	Tennessee Valley Association
	Works Progress Administration (WPA)
	Highly Political / Funding Cancelled

Post War Realism

	Tenessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire
	Aurthur Miller, Death of a Salesman
	Realism that assimilates Symbolism & Expressionism
	Designer Director Teams (Kazan / Melziner)

Conventions:

	Theatricalism: Style of production dictates Rules
	Advanced Technology: Plastics, Aluminum, Lighting Control, Sound
	Minimalism and Fractured Realism
	Division of Workforce
	Open Experimentation