my drama group have been studying Brechtian techniques through a number of workshops based on the play "Caucasian Chalk Circle" which allowed us to develop our drama knowledge

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Drama Workshops

I and my drama group have been studying Brechtian techniques through a number of workshops based on the play “Caucasian Chalk Circle” which allowed us to develop our drama knowledge.

The main topic of one of our workshops was “verfremdungseffekt” which concentrates of distancing techniques which ensures to remind the audience and actors that they are watching a play. This was an effective technique because unlike other plays it would make the audience know that this was only a play and it also limited their involvement. This technique was used to pay focus attention to a meticulous moment in the play which would make the audience question what they are watching e.g. a moment of domination or abuse. In one workshop we used songs while voicing a prologue which helped to distance the audience from the acting.

There are many examples of distancing which were created by Brecht. For instance actors playing a number of different roles and swapping them over , using their bodies as props in the scene and using music during a play.

We also practised using our bodies as props which was effective and also added some comedy into the scene. I practised being a various objects which was quite a humorous situation for me because I looked quite unrealistic but this was the effect that Brecht was trying to achieve.

In one part of the lesson we were asked to behave as various objects such as a toilet, escalator, bed etc. The teacher then called out an attitude of which we had to adopt and interpret while well as being that object (e.g. sexy escalator, sick toilet, proud chair and depressed sandwich).  We had to carry this out using our facial expression, gesture, stance and body language. I also found this situation quite humorous; it was as if we were personifying these objects and making them into real life objects.

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This exercise allowed us to achieve an emotional insight into how we can create a personality for a simple object. This was a good Brechtian technique because it would have made the audience question what they are watching.

In the second part of the lesson we took various texts from “Caucasian Chalk Circle” and replaced the props and scenic background with actors. This is especially effective when there is a long monologue because it breaks up the length and gives the audience something else to focus on. I had to pose as a tree by spreading my ...

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