Theatre History Overview - Part 76 - Postmodern Theatre

Postmodernism originated in Europe in the middle of the twentieth century. In a postmodern play, it is common for the play to "step back" from reality and create its own self-concious atmosphere. Ths is sometimes called metatheatre.

If this doesn't work for the production, though, it won't happen. However, there can also be set scripts for postmodern plays. Yet , postmodernism rejects chronological linearity.

Postmodern plays make people ask questions about the contecnt. Sometimes this is done by allowing the audience to have a dialogue with the actors on stage during the performance.

Other techniques that might be used ina postmodern play are having fragmented characters, having each performance be a new performance and not a repeat of any of the others given, and having a broken narrative.

Postmodernism is still considered a new movement. Important playwrights in the movement include Heiner Müller‎, P.L. Deshpande, and Sarah Kane.

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