Unleashing the Power of Brecht: Exploring and Applying Theatre Techniques

• Drama
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Unleashing the Power of Brecht: Exploring and Applying Theatre Techniques

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to explain and use Brecht theatre techniques.

Introduce the learning objective and set expectations for the lesson.

What do you already know about Brecht theatre techniques?

Slide 1: Introduction to Brecht

Briefly introduce Bertolt Brecht, a renowned German playwright and theatre practitioner.

Provide a concise overview of Brecht's background and significance in the theatre world.

Slide 2: Epic Theatre

Explore the concept of Epic Theatre and its key characteristics, such as alienation effect and non-linear narrative.

Explain the fundamentals of Epic Theatre and its purpose in challenging traditional dramatic conventions.

Slide 3: Verfremdungseffekt

Discuss the Verfremdungseffekt (alienation effect) and how it encourages critical thinking and audience engagement.

Highlight the importance of Verfremdungseffekt in Brechtian theatre and how it creates distance between the audience and the performance.

Slide 4: Gestus

Explain the concept of Gestus, which focuses on physical gestures, body language, and social attitudes.

Discuss how Gestus helps convey social and political messages in Brecht's plays.

Slide 5: Historical Materialism

Introduce the influence of historical materialism on Brecht's theatre and its emphasis on social and economic contexts.

Explain the connection between historical materialism and Brecht's aim to provide critical reflections on society.

Slide 6: Brechtian Techniques in Practice

Explore examples of Brechtian techniques in practice through videos or live performance excerpts.

Utilize multimedia resources to showcase how Brechtian techniques are applied in real-life theatre productions.

Slide 7: Interactive Activity

Engage in a group discussion or role-play activity to apply Brecht theatre techniques.

Encourage students to actively participate and demonstrate their understanding of Brechtian techniques.

Slide 8: Summary and Reflection

Summarize the key points covered and encourage students to reflect on the impact of Brecht theatre techniques on contemporary theatre.

Facilitate a class discussion to reinforce the main concepts and encourage critical thinking.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.