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Conventions of Expressionst Theatre
Conventions of Expressionst Theatre
The plays often dramatize the spiritual awakening and sufferings of their protagonists.
Atmosphere: use of imagery and symbolism. Focused on abstract ideas
Settings: appeared angular and distorted, depicting a bad dream.
Plot and structure: nonlinear and disjointed structures that mainly focused on the subjective experiences of the main character, alter ego of the author.
Action: Sequence of short scenes/episodes, which was a combination of realistic and fantastical elements to represent stages in the hero's life.
Characters: other figures were products of the protagonist’s mental state, dreams and imaginations, who often remained nameless and impersonal, representing a general class/attitude
Dialogue: fragmented sentences and a major use of slogans and exclamations, that unnaturally modulated until it reached a scream.
Style of acting: strived to achieve emotional transcendence. The movements were violent with stylized choreography and included muscle tension and stiffness of body.
Lighting: was heavily used to create stark contrasts and emphasize emotions and/or the plays message
Click the video above to watch a montage of expressionism is a number of German Films.
Click the video above to watch a montage of expressionism is a number of German Films.
Conventions of 4 Avant Garde theatre movements
Conventions of 4 Avant Garde theatre movements
Dadism
Dadism
European avant garde art movement in the early 20th century. It’s a response and reaction to the explicit bloodshed of WW1, challenging social norms and aimed to shock and enrage people.
Surrealism
Surrealism
Mainly a French and Spanish movement in the 20s and 30s. It was heavy on imagination and broke boundaries between rationality and irrationality. The works contained symbolic elements.
Futurism
Futurism
Italian modernist avant garde movement. It rejected cultural traditions and focused on parody. There was a huge emphasis on nonsensical humor and technology. This movement celebrated absurdity, violence and speed.
Absurd Theater
Absurd Theater
The new theater, Parisian avant garde, rejected traditional theater settings, characters, plots and staging. Martin Esslin coined the term Theatre of the Absurd. It’s based on Albert Camus’ philosophy that the human situation is absurd and has no purpose. Theater of the absurd has a very pessimistic view of humanity, left hopeless and anxious.
Click the video above to watch a production of Funnyhouse of a Negro by Adrienne Kennedy. This play is considered surrealist and absurd.
Click the video above to watch a production of Funnyhouse of a Negro by Adrienne Kennedy. This play is considered surrealist and absurd.
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