Theatre of the Absurd
Wed, 7 Mar 2007, 05:09 pmSean B11 posts in thread
Theatre of the Absurd
Wed, 7 Mar 2007, 05:09 pmRecently my drama class has been studying Theatre of the Absurd studying playwrights and dramatists such as Eugene Ionesco and Samuel Beckett.
Over the holidays we had the set task of reading "The Bald Prima Donna" which (although not fully understanding what was going on over the holidays) I did enjpoy.
This was really our first actual study into this form of theatre, I have read extracts from plays such as "Waiting For Godot" and "Rhinoceros" which I found very interesting at the time.
In a few weeks we are off to see Geoffrey Rush in 'Exit The king' which I am also excited about as we will be able to see Absurdism on stage, a factor that ome students in the class are definately finding confusing...but is that what absurdism is meant to be?
(I'll review Exit The King on this site after I've seen it)
So what does everyone else think about Absurdism?
Has anyone been in any absurdist plays?
I'd really like to know, I find it all quite fascinating!
Studied, Performed etc
Thu, 8 Mar 2007, 03:40 pmHey Sean.
My yr12 troupe studied and performed Absurdist theatre last year. "Our Name is Smith" - we combined extracts from "The Bald Primma Donna" (Eugene Ionesco), "Waiting for Godot" (Samuel Beckett) and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" (Tom Stoppard). It was a very interesting play to be involved in. Many of the audience left confused and annoyed because of the style - not because of us! lol. But then again others laughed like mad and understood every minute of it!
Absuridsm is hard to get a grip on. If you see a show in this style. Try to avoid thinking too much - I'm serious by the way - just sit there and let is wash over you. I find the less you think the more you will understand.
Na, already told you the point - Life is meaningless and a pointless series of actions. We are all born to die is one of the more depressing views on this style.
Personally I find watching absurd plays an eaiser way of starting to look at this particular style. Simply because some people struggle to grip it by just reading alone. So my advice - see a show in absurd style - if you can of course and go home and think about it later.
~ Tari
The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.