Examples Of Brechtian Alienation In Community Performance example essay topic

Brechtian Alienation in Community Performance Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht, (b. 1898-d. 1956), known commonly as Bert olt Brecht, was a German poet and playwright. One of his major contributions to theatre history was the "alienation effect" (From the German, "Verfremdungseffekt"). Brechtian alienation requires the removal of the "fourth wall". This is a term that describes the "suspension of disbelief" by the audience that takes place during a performance.

It is often thought that the audience looks in on the play's action through an invisible wall, just as the audience during a performance is focused upon a proscenium stage. This is a literal and figurative term. The audience pretends that the characters in the story are actually alive, living in their own world instead of actors performing on a stage. In order for the fourth wall to remain intact, the actors must also, in effect, pretend that the audience does not exist, by staying in character at all times and by not addressing the audience members directly. Brechtian Alienation reverses this effect.

Brecht wanted his audience members to be critical of what they saw, remind them that the play is not a reflection of their world. He creates a paradox. He aimed to remove emotion, specifically empathy, from the production and distance the audience from the players. He wanted actors to disassociate themselves from their role, quite the opposite of method acting. Brechtian Alienation is the constant reminder to all involved that they are participating in a play and not acting within their own reality. What motivated Brecht?

Primarily it seemed to be his own political ideologies. Brecht was with the Communist party. Influenced by the Chinese and the Russian theaters, he hoped to create a theater where the audience was not distracted by the plot so much that they missed the political truths embedded in the piece. Keeping Brecht's intent in mind, finding examples of Brechtian Alienation in community performance is not difficult when considering the breadth of activities that can be classified as "community performance". For example, the recent 2005 United States election debates between George W. Bush and John Kerry. Those events can be defined as a staged performance for the benefit of the community.

The audience gazes in on a conversation between two men. The two men have rehearsed their parts for weeks. The audience, although watching the performance, suspects that what the men have to say isn't real. The performers know that what they have to say is rehearsed and is for the benefit of the audience.

The political message is of great importance. However, the entire event has an air of surrealism. A second example of community performance that utilizes the effect of Brechtian Alienation is the work of the late monologist, Spaulding Gray. Spaulding Gray (1941-2004) was the author and performer of monologues such as "Swimming to Cambodia" (1987) and "Monster in a Box". (1992) During his performances, Spaulding sat serenely behind a desk, sipping water as he related stories of his life, satirized for the benefit of an audience. No subject was taboo.

He spoke candidly about puberty, sex and suicide. His monologues contained many messages, some quite political. Although he portrayed himself as a character, disassociating himself from many of the painful memories he shared (such as dealing with the suicide of his mother and his subsequent depression), the audience was always keenly aware that his work was a reflection of his experience, not a factual reporting of the experience itself. His words made audiences introspective, leading them to mull over issues of social justice. His final performance was his own suicide in 2004, pointedly highlighting the issues facing the mentally ill. The next example is not motivated by any political agenda.

Renaissance Faires and the performances that take place during these festivals are a fantastic example of Brechtian Alienation. Renaissance Faires are gatherings that take place all over the United States and Canada. One local faire is "King Richard's Faire" taking place in Carver, MA. This is an annual event that begins in mid-August and completes in mid-October. Performers at the faire stay in character for the entire day. They create a world based loosely on the European Medieval Renaissance periods.

The actors and the script create an anachronism, the representation of something as existing or happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order. Costumes from different periods, as well as those of fantasy creatures such as fairies, dwarfs and vampires mix harmoniously in the setting. These costumes are worn by actors and audience alike. The fourth wall has been completely removed and the actors and audience interact as peers in this world. The audience is left certain that they are not viewing an actual representation of history - there is running water and ATM machines at the faire as a constant reminder. However the set is constructed to look similar to a 16th century Renaissance market place with tents and merchants hocking their wares.

Even the food sold is meant to reflect the diet of a local peasant, large cooked turkey legs and chowders served in bread bowls with mugs of ale. Most fires also feature swordplay and lifelike jousting to complete the experience. Many of the performances scheduled at fires contain jokes meant to remind the audience that they are merely watching a performance. For example, at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire last August, the main cast held a rather risqu'e talk-show style interview, where the audience was encouraged to ask questions of the Cardinal, the Knight, the Wench and other stock characters. The answers given referenced some modern societal issues such as homosexuality in the church, allegations of pedophilia and homophobia. Some of the Brechtian elements included the breaking of the fourth wall, paradox in the form of anachronism, and moments where the cast broke character and commented on their roles.

This kind of stylization was also highlighted by a performance by "See and Blog", two hangmen that perform musical numbers about their chosen careers. The hangmen interact with the audience, pulling them into their absurd performance. Brechtian Alienation is a tool that many community performers utilize to make their opinions and messages clear to their intended audiences. It is a way for audiences and performers to connect on a closer level. They are both experiencing the surreal, disassociating themselves from the performance taking place.

They both become more introspective. The performance becomes a vehicle for self-understanding, meta cognition. Community performance is an excellent venue for self-examination and expression. Brecht attempted to inspire his audiences to think about larger issues and for that reason, such a style is beneficial to a community. A community is a living organism that must ebb and flow with the tides of change.

Performance is a way for new issues and ideas to be brought to the forefront, ready for discussion. Community performance can include political debates, social commentaries disguised as autobiographical self-debasing monologues as well as Renaissance Faires with their celebratory and informative performances. Each example can be said to include elements of Brechtian Alienation, even if they are not, perhaps, the performances that Brecht himself had in mind. However, the performances are important in that they force us to examine our own place within both the world of the theater and within our respective realities..