Epic Theatre: Epic Choices

1. Epic Theatre: Epic Choices You have been selected to direct the Epic Theatre play Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht. You will need to utilise your knowledge of Epic Theatre and theatre in general to ensure that this play goes smoothly. Click the arrows to decide which option that you wish to take. Each page will have a quick exit and restart button for your convenience and remember- Break a leg. Start Here Katie Singleton, s2951395.

2. To the library to update your knowledge of Epic Theatre and the play itself. Congratulations! You have been selected to direct the play Mother Courage and Her Children! In order to have a successful play you’ll need to prepare for it, where should you go? To the stage in order to understand it’s limitations. To the actors to establish a bond before performing. Skip it all, I already know what I’m doing

3. To the library to update your knowledge of Epic Theatre and the play itself. Congratulations! You have been selected to direct the play Mother Courage and Her Children! In order to have a successful play you’ll need to prepare for it, where should you go? To the stage in order to understand it’s limitations. Skip it all, I already know what I’m doing

4. To the library to update your knowledge of Epic Theatre and the play itself. Congratulations! You have been selected to direct the play Mother Courage and Her Children! In order to have a successful play you’ll need to prepare for it, where should you go? To the stage in order to understand it’s limitations. To the actors to establish a bond before performing. Start Rehearsing!

5. To the library to update your knowledge of Epic Theatre and the play itself. Congratulations! You have been selected to direct the play Mother Courage and Her Children! In order to have a successful play you’ll need to prepare for it, where should you go? To the actors to establish a bond before performing. Start Rehearsing!

6. Congratulations! You have been selected to direct the play Mother Courage and Her Children! In order to have a successful play you’ll need to prepare for it, where should you go? Start Rehearsing!

7. Leave the actors Actors You have now established a relationship with the actors within your play. This may make it easier to deal with them in the future because lets admit it. Sometimes they can be quite the drama queens

8. Congratulations! You have been selected to direct the play Mother Courage and Her Children! In order to have a successful play you’ll need to prepare for it, where should you go? To the stage in order to understand it’s limitations. To the actors to establish a bond before performing. Start Rehearsing!

9. You enter the library and find the Theatrical section What book do you pick up? Epic Theatre and its conventions Mother Courage and Her Children – Bertolt Brecht Leave the library

10. Back to the library Mother Courage and Her Children Mother Courage and her Children is a Brecht play about a woman known as Mother Courage who pushes a cart around selling and buying goods to make a profit in war time. Even though this women lives off the war happening around her she feels no desire to give back to it and fuelled by her greed she ends up losing her children to war and learns nothing from it.

11. Epic Theatre and its conventions Epic Theatre came about in the early to mid 20th century and was done by several different people however, Bertolt Brecht is the man who made Epic Theatre famous and had his own, very different style of Epic Theatre. The goal of Epic Theatre is for people to know they are watching a play and that no emotional attachment would be to any of the characters, through various theatrical conventions exclusive to this style. Epic Theatre’s purpose is to express political or environmental issues in a third person view and draws out the true morals of its audience by alienating them.

12. Back to the library Epic Theatre and its conventions Conventions of Epic Theatre- Completely lit stage Breaking the fourth wall Non-realistic set Multiple roles per actor Demonstration of role rather than “becoming the role” Costume changes in view of audience

13. Leave the Theatre Theatre Stage The stage seem to be a lot more horizontal rather then vertical. Lucky you checked, looks like you’ll have to change your stage setting order to accommodate it.

14. Leave the actors Actors You have now established a relationship with the actors within your play. This may make it easier to deal with them in the future because lets admit it. Sometimes they can be quite the drama queens

15. Leave the actors Actors You have now established a relationship with the actors within your play. This may make it easier to deal with them in the future because lets admit it. Sometimes they can be quite the drama queens

16. Method Acting Wow! Your first rehearsal everything is going pretty smoothly before one of your actor question what acting style they should use, what do you decide on? A technique used by actors to put themselves in the thoughts and situations of their character in order to create the most believable performance Stanislavski’s System No particular style Using physical actions to produce emotion

17. Whew, it’s been a tiring process but your almost at the performance date! But wait! The actors for Mother Courage and Swiss Cheese seem to have had a fight. What do you do? Yell at them to leave their complaints off stage. Leave them to sort it themselves

18. Whew, it’s been a tiring process but your almost at the performance date! But wait! The actors for Mother Courage and Swiss Cheese seem to have had a fight. What do you do? Request for their sympathy and to work together. Leave them to sort it themselves

19. Tomorrow is the big night however you are slightly conflicted with the scene where Mother Courage’s mute daughter is shot and killed when trying to warn the town of soldiers coming to kill them. The scene is very emotional which goes against Epic Theatre what do you decide to do? Add more alienation to the scene to make it truer to the style Keep the scene, Mother Courage guiltless conscious will be judged greater. Also holds message of “Actions speak louder than words”.

20. Method Acting Wow! Your first rehearsal everything is going pretty smoothly before one of your actor question what acting style they should use, what do you decide on? A technique used by actors to put themselves in the thoughts and situations of their character in order to create the most believable performance Stanislavski’s System No particular style Using physical actions to produce emotion

21. Game Over Chickening out already? You’re just not cut out for this industry kid. Better luck next time.

22. Game Over The performance goes fine however the last thing you want to do is make enemies, it’ll haunt you in the long run. Connection are everything. You’re just not cut out for this industry kid. Better luck next time.

23. Congratulations The performance goes fine however it could have been better. Due to your knowledge of Epic Theatre you have reached the end!

24. Congratulations The performance was a hit! Kattrin’s scene was heartbreaking and Mother Courage's attitude to her death really made the audience question her morals. Due to your knowledge of Epic Theatre you have reached the end!

25. Game Over The performance ends up flopping due to non-cooperative actors. You’re just not cut out for this industry kid. Better luck next time.

26. Game Over What? You’re using THAT theatrical style for Epic Theatre? You should really hit the books since the whole purpose is to alienate the audience. You’re just not cut out for this industry kid. Better luck next time.

27. Game Over Ha. Directing isn’t something you can improvise. You are unprepared and unreliable. You’ve been replaced. You’re just not cut out for this industry kid. Better luck next time.

28. Game Over Oh no, seems like you didn’t check your stage setting and placed Mother Courage’s cart a bit too down stage left when she fell off and broke her leg. Literally. You’re just not cut out for this industry kid. Better luck next time.