Postmodernism
preceded by Modernism
Post-anarchism Posthumanism Post-Marxism Postmodernity Postmodern architecture Postmodern art Postmodern Christianity Postmodern dance Postmodern feminism Postmodern fusion Postmodern literature Postmodern music Postmodern picture book Postmodern philosophy Postmodern social construction of nature Postmodern theater Postmodernism in political science Postmodernist anthropology Postmodernist film Postmodernist school Post-postmodernism Post-structuralism  v • d • e

Postmodern theatre is a recent phenomenon in world theatre, coming as it does out of the postmodern philosophy that originated in Europe in the 1960s. Postmodern theatre emerged as a reaction against modernist theatre. Most postmodern productions are centered around highlighting the fallibility of definite truth, instead encouraging the audience to reach their own individual understanding. Essentially, thus, postmodern theatre raises questions rather than attempting to supply answers.

Contents 1 Postmodern Techniques 2 Notable Examples of Postmodern Theatre 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Postmodern Techniques

Despite its rejection of genre and style a postmodern theatrical production might make use of some or all of the following techniques:

1. The accepted norms of seeing and representing the world are challenged and disregarded, while experimental theatrical perceptions and representations are created.
2. A diverse pastiche of different textualities and media forms are used, including the simultaneous use of multiple art or media forms, and there is the 'theft' of a heterogeneous group of artistic forms.
3. Narrative need not be complete but can be broken, paradoxical and imagistic. There is a movement away from linearity to multiplicity (to inter-related 'webs' of storying), where acts and scenes give way to a series of peripatetic dramatic moments.
4. Characters are fragmented, forming a collection of contrasting and parallel shards stemming from a central idea, theme or traditional character.
5. Each new performance of a theatrical pieces is a new Gestalt, a unique spectacle, with no intent on methodically repeating a play.
6. The audience is integral to the shared meaning making of the performance process and are included in the dialogue of the play.
7. There is a rejection of the precepts of "High" and "Low" art. The production exists only in the viewers mind as what the viewer interprets, nothing more and nothing less.
8. The rehearsal process in a theatrical production is driven more by shared meaning-making and improvisation, rather than the scripted text.
9. The play steps back from reality to create its own self conscious atmosphere. This is sometimes referred to as meta-theatre

While these techniques are often found in postmodern productions they are never part of a centralised movement or style. Rather, they are tools for authentic introspection, questioning and representation of human experience.

[edit] Notable Examples of Postmodern Theatre

• Sam Shepard's "Buried Child"
• Ozono Production's "Fuerza Bruta"
• Heiner Mullers "Hamletmachine"
• Ben Elton's "Popcorn"

[edit] See also

• Postmodernism
• Postmodernity
• Poststructuralism
• Postmodern plays on Wikipedia

[edit] External links

• Forced Entertainment http://www.forcedentertainment.com
• Fuerza Bruta http://www.fuerzabruta.net/

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