Theatricalism

Sources

http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2140894/1/Theatricalism

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/theatricalism

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0767430069/student_view0/part3/chapter9/

http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=767197

http://pages.towson.edu/quick/rlqunrest.html

Theatricalism

His most famous show, My Heart's In the Highlands, really shocked critics for its new "surrealistic" writing style.

Critics said that they didn't know if they should laugh or cry. His work was very abrasive and he wasn't afraid to let his writing be more than the typical show. He wrote with a style that extended from the normality of realism, and the audience wasn't sure just yet how to take that in.

Personal Connection

Also developing early in the 20th century was the movement in visual art of abstractionism. Abstract art was more than the typical still life that perfectly replicated what was seen in real life. Abstract art embraced the idea of art and pushed boundaries. It forced its viewers to see it as more than just a realistic replication, but as a piece of art. Just like theatricalism, abstract art broke the confinements of naturalism and drew focus on the idea of art itself.

Example: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

In this show the 3 actors introduce themselves as who they actually are, drawing emphasis to the actors rather than the characters that they'll be portraying. They also deal a bit with improvisation, which too goes against the ideas of realism. The simplicity of everything in this show helps create a very theatrical experience as well. And also, the audience is involved in this show. This breaks them from only viewing the show, and instead, allows them to be involved in it.

Final Opinion

We appreciate this form of theatre a lot. Theatre is art, and it is nice to embrace that every now and then. We believe that not being given everything explicitly engages the audience in a way that a realistic show is incapable of. We also like how this allows for variety in a show. With the concern of realism, you are restricted. With theatricalism, the options are endless.

Playwright

William Saroyan

Twentieth-century theatrical movement that was in response to the 19th-century naturalism. Theatricalism was a form of theatre where the focus isn't drawn to the illusion of reality, but instead embraces the artistic qualities of theatre and makes the audience well aware of them.

Some examples of those artistic qualities include: exposed lighting, emphasis on the actors rather than characters, props that aren't explicit, more conceptual approaches, and/or simplistic costuming.