international commercial theatre
TRANSCRIPT
France❖ Jacques Copeau❖ 1879-1949❖ Naturalism denies “essential
theatricality” of Theatre❖ Theatre should focus on the play- the
words❖ founded the Vieux Colombier Theatre❖ focused on training the actor❖ ensemble, theatre games,
improvisation❖ interested in breaking down the
barrier between audience and actor
Italy❖ Luigi Pirandello
❖ 1867-1936
❖ experimented boldly
❖ “deception, illusion, and the subjectivity of truth” concepts explored in his plays
❖ Six Characters In Search of an Author (1921) -six characters (actors) show up for a rehearsal and have been abandoned by their author- each demanding their story be told-
❖ philosophical and aesthetic exploration of reality, relativity, and fiction
Spain❖ Frederico Garcia Lorca
1898-1936
❖ poet and playwright❖ killed in the Spanish Civil War by the Fascists
❖ his plays were banned in Spain until 1975 (death of Franco)
❖ plays were “protest” against oppression of the Spanish people
❖ strong female characters
❖ The House of Bernarda Alba (1936)- Bernarda is a widow.. and locks her 5 grown daughters up- to keep them away from men… imprisoned… jealousy, competition, etc.. plays out…
Great Britain
❖ Tyrone Guthrie❖ Laurence Olivier -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ks-NbCHUns
❖ Ralph Richardson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP_QYfODjW0
❖ John Gielgud- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGi41QK7tdk
International Theatre❖ Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) —
modern performer of Peking Opera - preserved and expanded traditions- influenced Brecht
❖ Rabindranath Tagore (1st non-European to win the Nobel prize in literature in 1913)
❖ Kishida Kunio (1890-1954)- Japanese writer, dramatist- founder of Modern Japanese Drama- influenced by Copeau
American Commercial Theatre
❖ Ziegfeld - Broadway producer❖ Oscar Hammerstein’s Show
Boat (1927)❖ Jerome Kern❖ Irving Berlin❖ George and Ira Gershwin❖ Cole Porter
Eugene O’Neill
❖ 1888-1953❖ one of the most celebrated
American playwrights (Modernism)
❖ introduces realism to the American form
❖ Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1941), Ah, Wilderness!(1933), The Iceman Cometh (1939)
Non-commercial Theatre❖ The Group Theatre
❖ The Federal Theatre Project (1935-1939) A New Deal program to fund theatre (jobs) and live performance during the Great Depression
❖ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c7CPvoMKnU
❖ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlUvXKvgDpk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMIHm8OncbQ
African American Theatre
❖ Federal Theatre Project❖ Paul Robeson❖ https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=BUki-v-NvoE