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Epic Theatre vs Dramatic Theatre - Coggle Diagram
Epic Theatre vs Dramatic Theatre
Dramatic Theatre
Dramatic Conventions
Slow motion
Soliloquy : a solo speech by an actor that gives an insight into what they are thinking
Adding narration
Use of an aside : When a character directly addresses the audience to comment within a scene
Breaking into song : Musical Theatre
Using a chorus to comment upon the action
Splitting the stage so that different spaces represent different locations
Using placards/signs to give additional information to the audience
Split role or multi role
Using music to underscore the drama
Epic Theatre
Acting Conventions
Movement: the physicality of actors was very stylized and emotionally detached.
Voice: actors had to be vocally flexible as productions often involved singing, chanting, the creation of mechanical and non-verbal soundscapes, as well as a range of dialects and class accents.
Gestus: a theatrical technique that is the combination of a gesture and a social meaning in a singular movement, stance or vocal display. It is used to convey the thematic ideas significant to the play or the particular scene, as well as denoted a character’s social attitude and relationships with others.
Song and music: not used to heighten the emotion of the scene, but instead highlight the didactic message being communicated throughout the drama. The music was used to provoke thought, dispel illusion and drive out emotion.The musicians were often clearly visible by the audience to further emphasise that the performance was purely drama.
Direct address: actors spoke directly to the audience, thus breaking the fourth wall. They did this in order to provide analysis of situations on stage, to provoke argument and reflection, and additionally to prevent the audience from getting emotionally involved.
Narration: actors served as narrators, demonstrating actions and events that assisted in the audience’s understanding of the situation.
Masks and puppetry: used throughout performances as symbols for people and ideas.
Multiple roles: Actors plays multiple roles throughout the prdouction.
The Verfremdungseffekt (V-effect): the effect that makes things seem strange or different. The term refers to the use of various devices to make things appear in a new light, so we consider them with intellectual objectivity, robbed of their conventional outward appearance.
Stagecraft conventions of Epic Theatre
Makeup: makeup was theatrical and used to convey themes and ideas as well as depict a character’s social role in the play.
Signs: signs and placards were used to show the audience information significant to the performance
Sets: often non-existent or fragmentary with only partial sets or singular objects being on stage. However, sometimes the sets were industrial due to the influence of Meyerhold’s constructivist set design.
Lighting: only open white lighting was used, as colour would generate an emotional response from the audience. Lighting instruments were in full view of the audience to help remind the audience that they were watching a play.Effects of colour and dimming weren’t allowed.
Costume: not individually identifiable (stereotypical) and often incomplete or fragmentary (e.g. just using a tie and briefcase to represent a business man). Furthermore costume also served the function of denoting the character’s role in society, and subsequently their wealth and class.