Anti-Realism
Theatre 101: Introduction to Theatre
Historical Background
  1. Late 1800's - Post WWII Era
  2. Fredrich Nietzsche
    1. Apollonian vs. Dionysian Modes
      1. Apollonian = controlled and civilized
      2. Dionysian = ritualistic and primal
    2. "God is dead."
  3. War
    1. From the American Civil War - WWII
    2. Uncountable thousands killed or displaced
Anti Realist Art -isms (reactions against realist movement)
  1. Symbolism
    1. Poetic imagery and fantasy
    2. August Strindberg - A Dream Play
  2. Expressionism
    1. Feelings and emotions are at the center of existence
    2. Stylized movement and speech
    3. Eugene O'Neill - A Hairy Ape
  3. Absurdism
    1. Human existence is absurd
    2. Futility of human communication
    3. Samuel Beckett - Waiting for Godot
  4. Futurism
    1. Humans are subservient to machines
    2. Aggressive / glorified mechanized warfare
    3. All playwrights of the genre died in WWI
  5. Dadaism
    1. Seeks to create social imbalance
    2. Use of gibberish to confuse audiences
    3. Marcelle Duchamp - Fountain
  6. Existentialism
    1. Soren Kierkegarde
      1. "I must find that truth that is true for me."
    2. Sought to define human existence
    3. Jean Paul Sartre - No Exit
  7. Constructivism
    1. Industrial / geometric
    2. Functionalism / Utilitarianism
    3. Meyerhold - Biomechanics
      1. Russian director
  8. Surrealism
    1. Obsession with dreams
    2. Truth is in the subconscious
    3. André Breton - Surrealist Manifesto
  9. Eclecticism
    1. Freely mixing all the other -isms.
    2. Artists pull from all areas to suit their needs
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