Early MetaTheatre : Brecht Series 5
Dramatist-Poet, genius philosopher
reasoning power a miracle for time
saw art as hammer to shape mind
desired nothing less than to get audience
to act ~ an empath who saw potential of
word as call to action, wanted minds
to witness dual nature of reality
seen, unseen entangled as one
war, alienation his subject matter
How did Bertolt keep audience present
not escaping into staged characters
becoming complacent in theatre seats
question ludicrous power mongering ?!
effervescence use of epic theatre tools
poetry-song, light, juxtapositions
arrangements of stage elements (...)
his early metatheatre version : distance
actors, audience, writer, reader__
message : alienate thoughtforms
A genius breaking reality barriers
proposed no fourth wall, no distance
then can we question contexts
Brecht's shock tactics to flower mind
with stark stage elements draw forth
heightened awareness OR of what use is
art, drama, theatre, poetry ~ WHAT USE ?!
stage crew ununiformed, life large walking
bright their lights, sounds usurping
"What just happened ? ", asked Bertolt's audience, repeat verse shook
into heightened awareness _____
war stupor cells speak "We can do something! ", skull bones blush, dialogues, questions
dramatic verse straightening spines
nerve nodules listening rapt
"Quote me !" He called to audiences
"I beg your pardon ?", said commentators
so Brecht's humour tactics engaged
Audiences were not to be entertained
he stretched grey matter sitting in public
solitude, actors pretend aloneness
reality swirls violence
Bertolt lifted war into stage black boxes
senses reckon - no walls between
performers, society observed
materialisation of Consciousness
Creating comfort zones is tyranny
the Master Dramatist-Poet sought to
transmit ~ A simple question : "What is happening here ?"
Poetic dramatics pushed audiences
from characters, actors, act, stage into
dark deep recesses of own minds
seek not innuendo, flirtatiousness
work is to be done, songs to be sung
defamiliarise, estrange into SELF
breath in breath out
Brechtian tricks _____ startled !
audiences shocked into what would happen
readers, listeners knew storyline apt
leaving no option but to question
own morality, survival strategies
they (we) were to become socially active
BERTOLT's dramas, poetry, narratives
were outside realities, placed squarely
within inner reality of SELF SITTING
MIND
Bertolt Brecht lives on TODAY
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