Notes (4/25/2016)

• Epics
• implies a narrative
• long period of time
• Wrote plays with no scene divisions
• divisions were made later and called them episodes
• Didn't like episodes
• Wanted to emotionally distance the audience
• audience is called spectators
• differences: intimacy versus detachment 
• Use alienation 
• Epic theater conventions
• narrations
• direct address to audience
• placards and signs
• projection
• spoiling dramatic tension in advance of episode (scenes)
• disjointed time sequences - flash backs and flash forwards
• fragmentary costumes - single item of clothing representing the entire costume
• fragmentary props - single objects representing a larger picture or setting
• song - like parables (communicating themes in drama)
• demonstration of roles 0 actors are encouraged to demonstrate (not become) roles at arms length
• multiple roles
• costume changes in full view of spectator
• lighting equipment 
• open white lighting - due to its emotional impact, colored light on stage is eliminated - instead the stage is flooded with white light 
• alienation technique - German "verfremdungseffeck" involves the use of above conventions with the aim of distancing the spectators from the drama 
• Mother Courage (process - movie)
• She looks for the war and "easy money"
• loses all her children  
• Ideology is a pretext to business 
• All in different ways profit from the war 
• War brings money 
• Talks about what war is about, but doesn't want to participate 
• Drafted for war (Brecht's assistant) 
• originally wanted to study chemistry 
• Sent to a prison - accidentally met actors at the camp 
• spent 2 years acting at the camp 
• Decelerate Theater - Central Park
• moving into the space
• problem - not being able to hear anything 
• Helicopters hovering (costume) 
• somewhat perfect 
• War - constantly being talked about when they were younger (novel)
• thought about the number of wars
• The Holocaust and Atomic bomb 
• how you respond to that determines your politics 
• Mass death is the issue 
• strung up between life and death 
• Not strong men, they just want money
• tries to bargain down the Sergeant with money
• knows only way to protect her family is business drive
• doesn't see she bargained too long 
• Swiss Cheese dies
• If she had paid everything for Swiss Cheese, she would have commended everyone to death 
• The war has nothing to offer you
• old person talking to a young person 
• "Push comes to shove..." 
• Most unforgivable thing she ever did - let her despair and hate for herself ruin the only push this young angry revolutionary guy had 
• Tell the story of what others were doing 
• if enough people do it over enough time, it stops war