THE 101 Foster-Chapter 8 Terms

Realist Theatre

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What play, written by an existential philosopher, pits three lately deceased people against each other in a "hell" that is described as "other people"?

"No Exit"

The high point of stylistic realism is best exemplified by

Anton Chekhov

How did Stanislavsky contribute to realist theatre?

He brought realist acting to realist plots.

Which movement, whose development paralleled but was essentially independent of realism, based its aesthetics on nature, particularly on humanity’s place in the (Darwinian) environment?

Naturalism

The constructivist who broke with Stanislavsky’s style of realist performance to create a non-realist "biomechanical" style of acting and direction was

Vsevold Meyerhold

Which of the following is true of the relationship between naturalism and realism?

Naturalism paralleled but existed independently of realism and sought to eliminate every vestige of dramatic convention

One convention of the realist theatre is that dialogue

Is conversation

The saying "no more masterpieces" is a tenet of

Artaud’s theatre of cruelty

Which movement was based in the idea that, although humans search for some meaning or purpose in human life, they are met with the immutable irrationality of the universe, thus making the effort futile?

Absurdism

Which production had the most violent premiere in theatre history, such that the audience shouted, hissed, threw things, shook fists at the stage and fought duels after subsequent performances?

Jarry’s "Ubu Roi"

Which of the following is true of symbolism?

Through images and metaphors, symbolism explores the inner realities which cannot be directly of literally perceived

Which type of drama fits the following description: the theatre becomes a part of the content of play production, not merely the vehicle.

Metatheatre

This playwright, born in Germany in 1898 emerged from WWI as a dedicated Marxist and pacifist, and consolidated his theories about drama into a body of plays that include The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogany and The Good Person of Szechuan.

Bertolt Brecht

This theatre attempted to distance the audience by repudiating realistic conventions through a didactic performance style, an acting style that required the actor to "demonstrate" rather than "integrate with" his character, and a stage that called attention to its own artificiality.

Brecht’s theatre of alienation

The subject matter of naturalistic plays is

Slice-of-life action

Which movement can be interpreted to signal "the death of isms" is our contemporary age?

Postmodernism

The foremost American playwright, whose ventures into naturalism eventually turned toward expressionism and the authorship of the Hairy Ape, was

Eugene O’Neill

This type of drama, in vogue in Germany during the first two decades of the century, featured shocking and gusty dialogue, boldly exaggerated scenery, piercing sounds, bright lights, and an abundance of primary colors.

Expressionism

T/F
Avant-garde means, literally, "the major assault" or "shock troops".

True

T/F
Alan Ayckbourn’s plays, exemplifying comedies of contemporary manners, have failed to reach popularity beyond their cult following.

False

T/F
Surrealism, which means "beyond realism", was invented by Picasso.

False

T/F
The lasting impact of Ibsen’s plays lies primarily in two qualities: 1) their choice of issues and 2) the playwright’s skill at showing both sides of an issue and conflict through brilliantly captured psychological detail.

True

T/F
The chief theoretician of naturalism was Voltaire.

False

T/F
The theatre where Chekhov collaborated with Konstantin Stanislavsky is the Moscow Art Theatre.

True