European Theatre World Theatre&

Between the Wars

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

Jean Genet

❖ 1910-1986❖ The Balcony (1956)❖ Read for Next Week- Thursday,

March 31st