Berkoff's Theatrical Purpose

What is Berkoff's theatrical purpose? Steven Berkoff didn't have an easy childhood but he escaped this through theatre. He started in small theatre groups around the country, but when he formed the London Theatre Group he become known for combining mime and theatre, and now, also, is known as a playwright. In his plays Berkoff intends to provoke his audiences by showing grotesque images of his characters, and, with careful, exaggerated movement, include the audience in the performance and be consumed by the atmosphere of the play e.g. in the Fall of the House of Usher the sense of the 'House' is created before the audience enter by using a sound-scape and not through a set as Berkoff focuses more on the actor. Also Berkoff's idea of 'Total Theatre' aims to challenge the audience using all the aspects offered by the theatre including athletic actors. He used this style to make the audience more than just on-lookers of the performance and to bring the text to life, rather than just to portray what is written. He would also try to replace things on stage such as props and furniture with the actor's bodies so as not to let anything distract from the actors and what they are trying to put across 'why not make a grotesque throne out of bodies if other materials are scarce'. He goes between using stylized movement that seems almost robotic in plays such as 'East' and the very slow,

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Drama
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