Theatre of The Absurd

1. Theatre of The Absurd

2. Context • Originates post WWII, beginning in Europe (mid 1940s) • Came from a school of thought that could find “no rational explanation for human life”. This is reflected in the characters in this genre. • The playwright asks us to “draw our own conclusions” and make of it what we will. • This theatre genre is unfamiliar to many and may make us uncomfortable.

3. Key Elements • Characters: • Do not have names, jobs or backgrounds • Have no control over what happens to them (no power) • Aren’t what you would expect eg: litter, animals • Odd/strange behaviour • Often, interdependent pairs – eg Rosencrantz & Guilderstein; Vladimir & Estragon with one of the pair more dominant.

4. Key Elements • Settings: • Not distinct, could be anywhere • Not specific: eg “a road” instead of “on the side of the road to Mandalay at dusk.”

5. Key Elements • Language • Natural language but dialogue is circular (moves in circles and doesn’t necessarily advance). • Can be confusing and may not make sense • Use of pause (usually 5 secs) and silence (usually 10 secs) • Repetition, rhyme

6. Key Playwrights • Samuel Beckett • Irish dramatist • “Waiting for Godot” was once described as the “play where nothing ever happens. Twice.”

7. Key Playwrights • Jean Genet • French dramatist • Sympathy with the outcasts in Society. • Notable works: (english names) • The Maids; Deathwatch; The Balcony