Theatre History Overview - Part 57 - Epic Theatre

Epic theatre took place in the early to mid 20th century. The idea in Epic theatre is to make audiences think about what is being presented on stage. The members of the audience are not supposed to get lost in the idea that they are watching a play. They are supposed to keep in mind that they are seeing real people on the stage and what they are watching can be related to the real world.

In Epic theatre, actors may play many roles. They are never supposed to fully take on a character. Rather, they are to embody social commentary while staying themselves. This is known as gestus.

Bertolt Brecht called this theatre dialectical theatre. However, Erwin Piscator called it epic theatre. He coined the term during his first years as director of Volksbühne. He urged playwrights to address issues that were related to contemporary existence.

Plays that are traditionally directed as ones where people are supposed to suspend disbelief may be directred in the style of epic theatre if they address social issues. There are also types of theatre that deal with social commentary that are more suited to the style of epic theatre. This type of theatre can still be seen today.

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