Questions about the theater?

Question

What are the characteristics of Epic Theater, Theater of Cruelty, and Theater of the Absurd?

Answer 1

Epic is a form of theatre that teaches. It is an anti-emotion based theatre. It is obviously theatre, it does not pretend to be real. It is called Epic because it's productions deal with world wide ideas, not just local ones.

Theatre of Cruelty is a anti-status quo theatre with the purpose of slapping the squares in the face with the harsh realities of life. It is grim, and shocking, and borders on the insane as it makes playgoing an ordeal. It is a rebellion against traditional ways of doing and rating theatre. It is purposely cruel to the audience making it sit through an agonizing experience.

Thatre of the Absurd is based on the idea that man is an absurd (irrational) creature in a perfect world. As such he behaves irrationally, and cannot make decisisons or do anything useful He refuses to do anything to save himself even when he knows he is in danger.(applicable to the Katrina victims?) It's productions tend to deal with obviously theatrical techniques and ususally do not pretend to be reality
It's basic premise is that communication is impossible. It also is a form of anti-theatre, seeking a new aesthetic, and rejecting the theatrical norms.

All of these movements are failures because they ignored the fact that the audience wants to be entertained in the theatre, and the theatre cannot survive without an audience. Epic is boring, like a lecture instead of a play, Cruelty is uncomfortable and disgusting. And Absurd is hypocritical trying to communicate that communication is imporssible. There are always brief movements of anti establishment theatre with try to say there are new values to consider, but the traditional values of theatre always prevail and the rebellion is short lived. Theatre of the Absurd was the most like the status quo theatre and produced some popular successes.