Page 20 - Theatre_Arts_Form_5

Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

(c) Judgment of national politics: Expressionism provides a platform for
social and political critique. It enables artists to address burning issues
such as alienation, inequality, injustice and dehumanisation in a modern
society. Through their work, theatre artists who employ expressionism
style use it to provoke thoughts, raise awareness and inspire action.
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(d) Examining identity and existential dilemmas: Expressionism delves into
existential themes such as identity, alienation, isolation and mortality.
By inquiring into these fundamental questions, expressionists prompt
self-examination and reflection. As such, they encourage individuals to
use theatre as medium to confront their fears, anxieties and existential
dilemmas.

Activity 1.3

Using your imaginations, explore themes such as fear, loneliness, oppression
and alienation. Then;
(i) Choose one theme and outline ideas for a short scene;
(ii) Apply expressionism technique in your creative scene;
(iii) Rehearse the scene by focusing on the expressionist style of acting and
reflect on how it influences the portrayal of different types of emotions.

Exercise 1.3

As a theatre practitioner, you have been invited as a guest speaker to provide
insights into expressionism and its significance in arts, in general and theatre
in particular. What key points will you address?

Symbolism

Symbolism in theatre refers to a movement that emerged in the late 19 and
th
early 20th centuries as a reaction against realism and naturalism. Symbolism
as a theatrical trend sought to express inner truth rather than representing life
realistically. Symbolists wanted to convey abstract, symbolic and often spiritual
or metaphysical themes through suggestive imagery, metaphorical language and
non-literal representations. Symbolism arose as a response to the limitations
of realism and naturalism, which focused on depicting everyday life, with and
thorough, details. Playwrights and directors who use symbolism wanted to
explore deeper aspects of human life out of reality.

Form Five 10

28/06/2024 15:04
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THEATRE ART F5 fnl.indd 10 28/06/2024 15:04