Brechtian theatre

After watching "Schweyk in the 2nd World War," we had a few sessions on Brechtian theatre.
On our first session, we made a list of all the things that we noticed, other than the acting and the special effects.

1) Simple set
2) 2 levels
3) Black and Red being the dominant colours
4) No curtain
5) Areas for scenes
6) Band visible
7) Cyclorama: It is a screen for projections that is normally in the back wall.
8) Masks
9) Addresses the audience
10) photos/images
11) episode/episodic
12) music

After creating the list above, we discussed whether our past productions were brechtian or not.

Tina!

1) yes
2) no - there were more than 2 levels
3) no
4) yes
5) no - it was almost always in the main area
6) no - there was no band
7) yes
8) yes - I wore them for the secretary scene
9) yes - there were the players who talks to the audience directly
10) yes
11) yes - for example, the "hell's idol" scene could stand on its own.
12) yes

Perfection

1) yes
2) no - there was only one
3) no
4) yes
5) no - not really. there were scenes which were not in the main area, but in the sides as well.
6) no - there was no band
7) no
8) no
9) yes - the soliloquy Jennie gives in the end is practically talking to the audience
10) no
11) no
12) yes

We found that Tina! seemed more Brechtian than Perfection.
We also discussed about Presentational and Representational theatre.

Presentational: Actor speaks to audience

Representational: Actor speaks to actor

...and with this, we found that Brechtian theatre was mostly presentational.

In the next session, we were given a task. The task was to create a scene with the use of poem "Showing has to be shown". Specifically, we had to use the lines

"Make watching simpler, always to ensure the best
View of every episode - that too you should make visible."

I was paired with Sofia. We discussed on how we can "show that we are showing jealousy." Remembering the Brecht play, we thought of ways that the performance was presentational, and one that stood out was the usage of signs for the audience to read. So we decided to make the scene simple. Sofia would go on with almost no expression and hold up a sign saying "I'm Rich" and then I would go up and hold up a sign saying "I'm Jealous." The scene is concise, simple and clear.

In these sessions, I've learnt that Brecht (his full name is Eugen Berthhold Brecht) didn't want to make plays for the people to enjoy when watching, but to think when they are watching. He has this theory that the audience must not be emotional during a performance, otherwise that emotion takes over.