g expressionism
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ExpressionismEarly Expressionism in German Theatre
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Lyrical plays of social criticism, satire and protest existed before 1910.
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MAN #1
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Georg BÜchner ( 1813-1837)• First modern playwright
• Anticipated many modern techniques of Expressionism– Tried to find new ways of expressing
fatalistic perception of society and events
• Key works:– Dantons Tod (Danton’s Death, 1902)– Woyzeck, 1913
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Georg Büchner’s Key Works
• Dantons Tod, 1902– Ambiguous– Dialectical
• Woyzeck, – Written unfinished in 1836, published 1879– Dialectical– Open structure
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Georg Büchner’s Effect
• Experimental Approach• Demonstrated that a ‘history’ play could be
presented dialectically• Introduced ballad on stage
Influenced: Frank Wedekind, Bertolt Brecht, Ernst Toller etc
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MAN #2
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Frank Wedekind (1864-1918)
• Enthusiastic follower of Buchner– Broke taboos,
outrageous stage effects – Attacked shams of
bourgeois society– Inspired by Buchner
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Frank Wedekind’s Key Works
• FrÜhlings Erwachen (Spring’s Awakening, 1891)– First play in print– Not produced till 1906, in a cut version by Max
Reinhardt– Constant attack on values of bourgeois family
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Frank Wedekind’s Key Works
• The “Lulu” plays– Erdgeist (Earth Spirit, 1895) &
Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora's Box, 1904)– Frank depiction of sexuality and violence
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Frank Wedekind’s Effect
• Anticipated Expressionism
• Mixing bizarre with realism
• Major influence for Epic Theatre
• Adaption for 2006 Broadway musical
Influenced: Bertolt Brecht, Carl Steinharm
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MAN #3
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August Strindberg (1849-1912)
• Father of Expressionism– Most frequently performed
dramatist before World War 1– Young German playwrights
saw his work as a pointer
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August Strindberg (1849-1912)
• Strindbergian Expressionism– Splitting a single personality into several characters– Uses characters as agents who stand for a condition
of mankind
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August Strindberg’s Works
• “A Dream Play”, 1902– Prompted Expressionist revolution in European
dramatic writing and practice.– Follows pattern of a Morality Play– ‘Polyphonic’ dialogue– Threw off every restriction of realism– Considered unstageable till 1907 (attempted)
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August Strindberg’s Works
• Kammarspel (The Chamber Plays)– the Intimate Theatre, 1907– Simple in theme and presentation– Emotion and atmosphere to dominate the play and
presentation– Chamber Music
The StormThe Burned HouseThe Ghost Sonata
The PelicanThe Black Glove
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These 3 men, or forerunners, led to what we now know as..
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Expressionism
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Early Expressionism (1912-1923)
• Initially confined to a single national culture• Georg Kaiser and Ernst Toller were the most
famous playwrights.
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Georg Kaiser (1878 – 1945)
• Plays of ideas• The Burghers of Calais (Die
Bürger von Calais, 1913 / 1917)– Expressionist “New Man”
• Highly influential
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Ernst Toller (1893-1939)
• After WW1• Politically-inspired plays
more acceptable• Masse Mensch
(Masses Man, 1921)– Dramatic dialectic– Alternated forms of
realism and expressionism
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Early Expressionism: Characteristics
• Abstract, unlocalised setting• Episodic• Characters as figures• Mechanical ‘crowds’• Fragmented dialogue, Telegram Style• ‘Ecstatic’ style of acting
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Key figures
• Georg BÜchner• Frank Wedekind• August Strindberg
• Georg Kaiser• Ernst Toller
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Kaiser & Toller
Both believed in the necessity of an expressionist approach if the stage wanted to do ‘more than take photographs’…
“