HNAR-376: Intimacy & Alienation

In this class, we'll explore the different, but equally influential plays and theatrical visions of Anton Chekhov (1860 - 1904) and Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956). Both writers saw actors as central to theatrical experience. Chekhov worked alongside Konstanti Stanislavski, whose Method acting technique favored naturalism, empathy and intimacy above 19th century theatrics, while Brecht devised his own theory of "alienation," encouraging actors to present their characters to the audience for critical inspection. Writing in pre-revolutionary Russian, Chekhov tenderly exposed the conflicts of interest between the old feudal order and Russia's new middle class. Writing throughout the rise and reign of German fascism, Brecht investigated criminality, class struggle, revolution and mass thought. The plays of both writers are models of ambiguity, leaving readers and viewers to decide for themselves what the best choices might be in a deeply conflicted world.