LESSON THREE

Using Our Body:

Today we looked at how we can use our bodies to create different objects in a scene. This is a very commonly used technique in Brechtian theatre. We learn how we can personify an object like a chair by how we portray it. For example, we can portray a chair as sad by the way the chair is slumped over. Another method of portraying the emotion of the object is facial expression - after all it is being made by people.

We also recreated the Caucasian Chalk Circle scene in which the Governess is ordering her servants to pack up her belongings. We created these scenes using Gestus. We got the characters to speak their mind to the audience, which is one of the ways Brecht portrays thoughts and emotions to his audiences.

Evaluation of Mother Courage performance:

We later looked at an extract of Mother Courage and Her Children, a play written by Brecht in 1939. In the scene, mother courage is standing over her daughters dead body sobbing. We were asked to present this scene using Brechtian techniques.

My group chose to represent the body by using a hoodie. This made the audience less sympathetic for the body, and more sympathetic towards mother courage. However, we later found out it wasn't exactly very easy to make it seem like something like a real person.

We also added a chorus to speak the thoughts of Mother Courage. This allowed for many different emotions and thoughts to be shown to the audience which wouldn't normally be shown. In the extract, Mother Courage pulls a wagon behind her. To create this I pushed myself up with only my hands and Sherene held onto my legs - almost in a reverse wheelbarrow. This gave the illusion of her pulling a heavy load behind her.

Overall, our performance was smooth and clean - utilising Brecht's techniques.

The script we used - annotated by Sherene

What Went Well:

• Choral speech worked well.
• Using my body to create a wagon.

Even Better If:

• If we used the songs in the scene in a song, rather than spoken word.
• We could of used placards to show that the hoodie represented a dead body.

Other Groups:

Eric's group managed to transition between character to character really effectively by rolling on top of each other, which made it seamless.


Brecht Techniques:

• Placards 
• Song
• Using people to play objects in the scene
• Breaking the fourth wall (Audience participation)
• Making use of character stereotypes