Theatre of the Absurd

1. Theatre of the Absurd

2. What is Theatre of the Absurd? A theatre style in which standard or naturalistic conventions of plot, characterization, and thematic structure are ignored or distorted in order to convey the irrational or fictive nature of reality and the essential isolation of humanity in a meaningless world.

3. What is the Goal of Theatre of the Absurd? The Goal of Theatre of the Absurd is for the audience to question the meaning of life and the belief in Religion. This style of theatre try to convey a sense of bewilderment, anxiety and wonder when trying to understand an inexplicable universe.

4. Why did Theatre of the Absurd develop? Surrealist Art was born in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Surrealists paintings were generally based on dreams. Paintings were filled with familiar objects which were painted to look strange or mysterious. Surrealist artists hoped their odd paintings would make people look at things in a different way and change the way they felt about things. They thought that their paintings might stir up feelings in the back of peoples minds.

5. Development of Theatre of the Absurd After witnessing the death and destruction of WWI and WWII, many people began questioning the meaning of life and the existence of a God.

6. Absurdism is born. Existentialist philosopher, Albert Camus, began using the term “absurd” to describe a philosophical way of thinking. Camus argued that humanity had to resign itself to recognizing that a fully satisfying rational explanation of the universe was beyond its reach, and therefore the world must ultimately be absurd.

7. Theatre of the Absurd is created Theatre of the Absurd refers to literature which emerged in Paris during the late 1940’s. This style of theatre quickly spread across Europe taking root in England and especially Germany.

8. Famous Theatre of the Absurd Playwrights

9. Samuel Beckett Born 1906, in Ireland Died 1989, in France Beckett employs a minimalistic approach, stripping away the stage of unnecessary spectacle and characters. His plays often question what our purpose is.

10. Eugene Ionesco "Death is our main problem and all others are less important. It is the wall and the limit. It is the only inescapable alienation; it gives us a sense of our limits. But the ignorance of ourselves and of others to which we are condemned is just as worrying. In the final analysis, we don't know what we're doing. Nevertheless, in all my work there is an element of hope and an appeal to others."

11. Eugene Ionesco Born 1909 Died 1994 One of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd Beyond ridiculing the most banal situations, Ionesco's plays depict in a tangible way the solitude and insignificance of human existence.

12. “The Bald Soprano” by Eugene Ionesco The Smiths are a traditional couple from London who have invited another couple, the Martins, over for a visit. They are joined later by the Smiths' maid, Mary, and the local fire chief, who is also Mary's lover. The two families engage in meaningless banter, telling stories and relating nonsensical poems. At one point, Mrs. Martin converses with her husband as if he were a stranger she just met. As the fire chief turns to leave, he mentions "the bald soprano" in passing, which has a very unsettling effect on the others. Mrs. Smith replies that "she always wears her hair in the same style." After the Fire Chief's exit, the play devolves into a series of complete non-sequiturs, with no resemblance to normal conversation. It ends with the two couples shouting in unison "It's not that way. It's over here!," right before a blackout occurs. When the lights come back on, the scene starts from the beginning with the Martins reciting the Smiths' lines from the beginning of the play for a while before the curtain closes.

13. “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett “Waiting for Godot” opened in Paris in 1953, and went on to become one of the most important dramatic works of the 20th century. In the play, two tramps wait on what appears to be a desolate road for a man who never arrives. Theorist have often questioned who Godot is – but that decision is left up to the audience (to find their own meaning, since no clear answer exists).

14. Tom Stoppard Born 1937, in Czechoslovakia He was the son of a physician who was later killed by the Nazis His plays often grieve the senselessness of the human condition

15. “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” by Tom Stoppard In 1966, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A satirical meditation on “Hamlet”, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” focuses on the sadly existential but frivolous meanderings of two of Hamlet’s marginal characters outside the events of the play “Hamlet” (what happens to these characters when not in the play Hamlet).

16. Too much more to mention... This was just a BRIEF look at playwrights who write in the Theatre of the Absurd style. There are many more to explore.