20 th Century Theatre

1. 20th Century Theatre An Overview – The Rise of the Director

2. Doug Hughes – Tony Award winning Director: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MslAUPmTkbI Where are we now?

3. Master of the play/Supervisor • Co-ordinate the scenario, choose jokes • Overall, lacked overall conceptual elements to create mis-en-scene • Role of director fulfilled by profession’s knowledge of and respect for theatrical tradition • To be “right” the play must be as close to the original production as possible Pre-late 19th Century: Who needs a director?

4. Actors copied performances of their predecessors • Set rules dependent on character’s moral and social wealth • Conventional scenery/set pieces • Costumes weren’t deemed important and were selected by the actor • No rehearsals, everyone knew the rules -Director was unnecessary Pre-late 19th Century: Who needs a director?

5. Technical and scenic innovation • Developments in dramatic writing • Changes in acting style • Social, political and scientific issues affect theatrical representation Change is in the air –Mid 18th Century-19th Century

6. An actor • Coached his actors • “Directed” a play in which he didn’t perform • Employed a French designer – directional lighting, 3D sets • Actors no longer limited to the apron • Changed acting conventions • Inside a construction as opposed to in front of a static picture • Acting style based on observation of others • Heralded the rise of the actor-manager David Garrick (1717-1779)

7. Gas light, limelight and electric light –directional lighting, atmospheric lighting • 19th century craze for the pictorial, people would pay to see dioramas • An outside eye is needed to view stage from audiences’ perspective and “direct” actors into most appropriate/meaningful positions Technical Developments

8. Valuable in the rise of the director • Actor responsible for every aspect of production: -theatre building -leading roles -backstage -FOH -actors -finance • Interpretation of the text based entirely on their own interpretation of the leading role Actor-Manager

9. Created his own works on social issues • Topics relevant to middle class (theatre-going) audience • Reflect as opposed to reform • Innovative in that realism of play placed new demands on actors & set • Actors behave “naturally” • Set must be practical and useable • Extensive stage directions, rehearsal • New mode of mis-en-scene TW Robertson

10. “Directed” own plays • Published works on directing • Emphasised the importance of casting • Thorough preparation prior to rehearsals George Bernard Shaw

11. Paralleled Stanislavski • Believed the script was sacrosanct • Wished to represent the inner truth of character • Build up character bio - like Stan • Focus on Tempo/Rhythm • Director’s role “to suggest, to criticise, to co-ordinate” Henry Granville-Barker

12. Looked at how the role of director came to being • Can recognise the modern day director • Look at how the role has changed over 20th century Theatre Movements 20th C

13. Actors stood centre stage -near prompt, good light • Less important characters on either side • Address audience directly • Gesturing occasionally • Aesthetics most important Romanticism

14. French novelist credited with bringing naturalism to the theatre • The true subject of art is mankind in everyday life • Not the grand, beautiful but in the ordinary • The job of the dramatist is to record, not moralise. Emile Zola

15. Naturalism is the more extreme form of realism • Seeks to replicate an everyday reality • It almost obliterated the distinction between life and art • In theatre – a perfect illusion of reality - detailed sets, un-poetic literary styles and an acting style that tries to recreate reality. • See the real suffering of mankind on stage Naturalism

16. Realism was the theory of naturalism put into practice. • ‘Slice of life’ reproduced on stage – truthful but heightened. • Emphasis on subtext (what is under the text • Realism: the selection and distillation of the detailed observation of everyday life, not the life itself. • Majority of theatre today works on the principle of realism. Realism

17. Represent life as accurately as possible • Detailed plans for the whole stage • Costumes to fit, not glamorise • Ensemble acting - company to represent mankind in the social context of the time Andre Antoine - Theatre Libre

18. Emphasis on internal life of dreams and fantasies • Reaction against realism and naturalism • Maeterlinck - Belgian playwright symbolist who influenced Stan Symbolism

19. Modernist movement developed principally in Germany • Often dramatise the spiritual awakening and sufferings of protagonists • Explore the struggle against bourgeois values and established authority • Speech is heightened Expressionism

20. “resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality” • Developed out of Dada (WWI) -anti-war movement believed “reason” and “logic” of Capitalist society led to war • Methods to liberate imagination • Theatre of Cruelty - emotions, feelings and the metaphysical expressed not through language but physically creating a vision closely related to world of dreams • Primal sense of reality • “Impossible theatre” - vague and not practical Surrealism -Theatre of Cruelty

21. “Theatre should be political and force people to think” - opposed theatre as escapism • Incorporates mode of acting called “gestus” • Audience should be aware they are watching a play • Fourth wall often broken by actors both in and out of character • Alienation - audience feel estranged, seperate so as to remain objective and learn • Episodic - short episodes broken up by narrator, song, dance, visual images/signs Epic Theatre

22. Theatre to promote social and political change • Dialogue and interaction between audience and performer • Audience becomes active: spect-actors • Explore, show, analyse and transform the reality they are living • Framework for the development and evolution of stronger ideas Experimental Theatre –Theatre of the Oppressed

23. Experimental theatre • Co-create the event of theatre with spectators • Actor is at the core of the theatre art • Explore and utilise basic dramatic elements • Shortage of money not an excuse for poor performance • Multi-skilled actor • Style imitated by variety troupes Experimental Theatre -Poor Theatre

24. Outline the effect each 20th Century practitioner has had on the development of theatre • Identify which movement(s) they belong to • Highlight any influences between practitioners Task