indevbrecht

          Bertolt Brecht was born in 1898 in Germany, and his theories of stage presentation exerted more influence on mid- century theatre in western theatre than any other individual. This was because he created a major alternative to the 'stanislavski - oriented realsim' to rebel against naturalism. Before Brecht theatre was naturalistic and relied on an audience being 'spell bound' by the illusion of reality on stage.
           Brecht was heavily influenced by German expressionism. Brecht developed his theaory of ' Epic Theatre' through his preoccupation with Marxism and the idea that man and society could be intellectually analyzed. Brecht believed that theatre should appeal not to the spectators feelings but to his reasons. Brecht became a Marxist around 1930, the same years he developed 'Epic theatre'

      "Brecht developed the drama as a social and ideological forum for leftist causes" (www.cs.biandeis.edu/~jamesf/goodwoman/brecht_bio.html)

      Brecht was violently antibourgeois and this attitude reflected his generations disapointment in the 'civilisation that had come crashing down when World war One finished' (same as above) In 1933 Brecht went into exile, while in Germany his books were burnt and his citizenship withdrawn. Brecht was also cut off from the German theatre, in which the spectator tended to identitfy with the characters on stage and become emtionally involved with them rather than being stirred to think about his own life. German theatre was dominated by three producers, Reihardt, Jessner and Piscator. Brecht reblled against Reinhardts realism and romanticism and his huge open air spectacular theatres. But Piscator influenced Brecht with his topical popular theatre and political aims, Brecht also liked literay poetic aspects which lead to them colaborating in adaptations. Brecht adapted many stories for his plays, one example of this is 'Edward II' in 1924 which was also thought to be the debut of Epic theatre with the use of make up to show emotion.

"Epic Theatre turns the spectator into an obsever, but arouses his capacity for action, forces him to take decisions... the sectator stands outside, studies" (Brecht on Theatre. New York: hill & wang, 1964, pg37)

Brechts theory of Epic theatre changes the relationship between what and how a performance is watched, this brought new dimensions of spectatorship. Brecht wanted the audience to have in mind that a performane is being watched, rather then allowing itself to suspend their feeling of disbelief for the duration of the play. Epic theatre combines theories for the actor, designer, playwright, director, lighting and composer.