Final Exam

Front 1

Alienation

Back 1

An aspect of Bertolt Brect's theroy of epic theatre: the concept that the audiences emotional involvement should be minimized so that they will be intellectually invloved with the political or social message.

Front 2

Avant-garde

Back 2

A term that was applied to plays of an experimental or unorthadox nature which attempted to go beyond standard usage of form, content or both.

Front 3

Biomechanics

Back 3

an aspect of Vsevelod Myerholds theory of acting: the idea that an actors body should be machine-like and that emotion could be expressed externally.

Front 4

Constructivism

Back 4

a movement in scene design in which sets were created to provide greater oppourtunities for physical action. The sets were composed of different ramps, platforms and levels.

Front 5

Dada

Back 5

a term used to decribe the way the artists of the time weere feelings towards all of the war and destruction going on in the world. Many of the plays included repitious dialogue and very jagged plot lines that didnt make sense.

Front 6

Environmental Theatre

Back 6

a theatre production which invloves the stage, space and audience arrangement. Some aims of this were the elimination of distinction between audience space and acting space.

Front 7

Epic Theatre

Back 7

assciated with the German dramatist Bertolt. Epic theatre is amied at the intellect rather than the emotions, seeking present evidence recgarding social questions.

Front 8

Expressionsism

Back 8

the intention of expressionism is not to duplicate the subject accuratly, but rather portray it in a way to express the inner state of the artist.

Front 9

Fourth-wall convention

Back 9

A description that implies that in a proscenium arch theatre the audience is looking into a room through an invisible wall. The term is credited to Diderot.

Front 10

Futurism

Back 10

Art movement that begun in Italy which idealized machanization and machinery.

Front 11

Gesamtkunstwerk

Back 11

Richard wagners term for a united operatic work of art, in wich all elements of theatre come together to form a total piece.

Front 12

Happenings

Back 12

Form of theatrical enetertainment which was developed out of experimentation by abstract american artists. Happenings have a scenario that replaces the script and are performed in found places.

Front 13

Poor Theatre

Back 13

This term was coined by Jerzy Grotowski to describe his ideal of theatre stripped to its bare essentials. He wanted to eliminate materialistic values by keeping the set simple.

Front 14

Surrealism

Back 14

a movement attacking formalism in the arts which developed in Europe after WWI.
- was also a way of thinking beyond what is real and replacing our own logic with logic from dreams.

Front 15

Symbolism

Back 15

In drama, a movement which saught to replace realistic representation of life with inner truth. Different techniques were used to go beyond everyday reality. This was closely linked to symbolist poetry.

Front 16

Theatre of cruelty

Back 16

Antonin Artauds visionary concept of theatre based on magic and ritual which would liberate deep, violent, and erotic impulses. He wanted to reveal the true cruelty behind all human action.

Front 17

Theatricalism

Back 17

emphasizes the theatrics for their own sake. Less coherant movement than most of the quality works found in most rebellious artists. It admits to how artifical the stage is and barrows from various form of entertainment.

Front 18

Theatre of the absurd

Back 18

A form of drama that emphasizes the absurdity of human existence by including repetitious dialogue, confusing situations, and plots that lack realism.

Front 19

Ubermarionette

Back 19

"Super puppet"
Coined by Edward Gordon Craig to describe what he considered the ideal performer. One who would let the director have full control over the performance.

Front 20

Unit Setting

Back 20

A single setting, developed by Edward Gordon Craig, that can be made to represent various locations by simply adding or removing items and elements from the stage.