Brecht and Artaud Theater Methods

 Brecht. Brecht was a German playwright from the early 20th century, and much of his theater is reflective of that time period. Brechtian theater is defined by its primary objective of operating the audience from the play. Many methods implemented are focused on not providing a cathartic experience or really any emotion at all. Instead, Brechtian theater is focused on making one think. In order to do this, much of the dialogue may simply be stated instead of acting in the traditional sense, and the actions feel very deliberate and unrealistic. This departure from the traditional ideas of achieving realism and emotional depth provided a refreshing and thought-provoking different approach, and many works of Brechtian theater are well respected. 

Artaud. On something of an opposite spectrum, Artaud's theater method was focused on emotion and his approach to achieving emotion among the audience was revolutionary. The "Theater of Cruelty" is focused on attacking the audience on all sides so to speak, through the use of jarring acts on display or disturbing images or movements, coupled with the use of sound and lighting the audience is confronted with the feelings the show intends to provide in a more direct approach than utilizing the script. The theater of cruelty is a more commonly used practice now, but Artaud's theater is credited with its proliferation and invention, and his plays are to this day unique experiences of raw and many times disturbing emotions. 

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