Course Syllabus

TH223 MODERN THEATRE: REALISMS AND ANTI-REALISMS

 

Prof. Tom Lindblade

315 CAC

719-389-6469

 

Course Description: A survey of modern theatre from approximately 1881-1945, focusing on the development of realism and naturalism in the late 1880s and the successive movements rebelling against realism since the turn-of-the-century. Special attention will be paid to artists/manifestoes, the gradual dehumanization of the art form, and the philosophical grounding of the various movements in the half-century. Honor Code applies. Two papers. One project. Final exam.

 

Grading:          10% participation (attendance, discussion, listening, engagement)

                        40% papers

                        25% Reality Project

                        25% final exam

 

Required Primary Texts:

 

Henrik Ibsen, Ghosts, tr. Torp

August Strindberg, Miss Julia, tr. Torp

Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard, tr. Senelick

Arthur Schnitzler, Der Reigen (La Ronde or Hands Around), tr. Weissman

Alfred Jarry, Ubu Roi, tr. Keith/Legman

Maurice Maeterlinck, The Intruder, tr. Block (Canvas)

Georg Kaiser, From Morn to Midnight, tr. Dukes (Canvas)

Luigi Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author, tr. Bentley

Jean Cocteau, Orphée, tr. Wildman (Canvas)

Federico Garcia Lorca, Blood Wedding, tr. Graham-Lujan et al (Canvas)

Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie

 

Required Secondary Texts: (all on Canvas)

 

August Strindberg, “Preface to Miss Julie”

Alfred Jarry, Pataphysics (excerpts)

Maurice Maeterlinck, “The Tragical in Daily Life”

Maurice Maeterlinck, “Preface to the Plays”

Andre Breton, “The First Manifesto of Surrealism” (excerpts)

Andre Breton (Bureau of Surrealist Research), “Open the Prisons! Disband the Army!”

Pauline Kael, “Review of The Blood of a Poet”

Tennessee Williams, “The Timeless World of a Play”

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT MATTER                                                                                       VIDEOS

 

Realism and its Roots

 

M19    Introduction

T20     Formulaic Realism: Ghosts (Oslo 1881)                                          Ghosts

W21    Naturalism: Miss Julia (Stockholm 1888)                                       Miss Julie

            “Preface to Miss Julie” (1892, Canvas)

            www.strindbergandhelium.com

R22     Lyrical Realism: The Cherry Orchard (Moscow 1903)                    Anton Ch

F23     Psychological Realism: Der Reigen/La Ronde (Vienna 1903)        La Ronde

 

Early Reaction Against Realism: The Movements

 

M26    Paper #1 on text(s) from week one, @6 pages                             M*A*S*H*

            Pataphysics: Ubu Roi (Paris 1896)

            Pataphysics (excerpts, Canvas)

T27     Symbolism: The Intruder (Paris 1891)                                           La Jetée

            “The Tragical in Daily Life” (Canvas)

            “Preface to the Plays” (Canvas)

W28    Expressionism: From Morn to Midnight (Frankfurt 1916)           Caligari

R29     Naked Masks: Six Characters...(Rome 1921)                                   Pirandello

            “The Author’s Preface” (1925)

F30     Surrealism: Orphée (Paris 1923)                                                     Blood/Poet

            “The First Manifesto of Surrealism” (excerpts, Canvas)

            “Open the Prisons! Disband the Army!” (Canvas)

            “Review of The Blood of a Poet” (Canvas)

 

Theatre of Cruelty, Epic Theatre, and Poetic Realism

 

M2      *Paper #2 on text(s) from week two, @6 pages                           Life/Times

            The Theatre and Its Double (excerpts)

T3       Epic Theatre: Mother Courage…(Zurich 1933)                              M Courage

W4      Poetic Realism: Blood Wedding (Granada 1933, Canvas)             Bld Wedding

R5       Poetic Realism: The Glass Menagerie (Chicago 1947)                    Gl Menagerie

            “The Timeless World of a Play” (Canvas)

            “The Catastrophe of Success”

F6        Day Off. Consult and prepare.

 

Final Thoughts

 

M9      *The Reality Project

T10     Review, Contemplate, Wrap Up

W11    Final Exam

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDICES

 

THE REALITY PROJECT

 

Your Charge: You must adapt the following scenario to the aesthetic of your particular school. It is intentionally open and vague, and your adaptation, if your school demands it, should fill in blanks.

 

“A and B are related to each other in some way. A and B have very important public positions. A has some sort of scandal circling around him/her, and can only be redeemed by some sort of sacrifice by B. B sacrifices in a big way because no one else will, and A is redeemed. However, as a result of the sacrifice, A and B are separated in a permanent way. C arrives on the scene, a personal of extraordinary power, and is able to reconnect A and B, and there is salvation.”

 

Your Guidelines: The performance should last about 15 minutes or so. You may establish any audience/performer configuration you wish. The performing space is also up to your judgment. All areas and materials at Colorado College are fair game to use. If needed, make sure you get permission to use any restricted or public area ahead of time. Important: avoid merely satirizing your aesthetic school. Rather, try to capture its special flair. Memorize your script, if that is possible, appropriate, or even applicable. Take into account how much control you need to have over technical considerations. Things to remember: basic style, lighting, setting, color palette, characterization, verse/prose, leitmotifs, metaphors…yes, only a partial list. You must hand in your final script to me. Should any of your group be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. Good luck, Jim.

 

 

VIDEOS

 

Ghosts (1987) BBC Classics. Directed by Elijah Moshinsky. With Dench, Gambon, Branagh, Richardson, Jones. Department library.

 

Miss Julie (1951) AB Sandrew Produktion. Directed by Alf Sjöberg. With Björk, Palme, von Sydow. Tutt Library, YouTube.

 

The Anton Chekhov Collection (2008) BBC Video. With Hopkins, Dench, Stewart, Harrison, Ashcroft, Gielgud, Gambon, Atkins, et al. Department library.

 

La Ronde (1950) Films Sacha Gordine. Directed by Max Ophuls. With Walbrook, Signoret, Darrieux, Barrault, Joyeux, et al. Tutt Library.

 

M*A*S*H* (1970) Twentieth Century Fox. Directed by Robert Altman. With Sutherland, Gould, Duvall, Kellerman, et al. Tutt Library.

 

La Jetée (1963) Argos Films. Directed by Chris Marker. With Chatelain, Hanich, et al.

Department library, Tutt Library, YouTube.

 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) Decla-Bioscop AG. Directed by Robert Wiene. With Krauss, Veidt, Feher, Dagover, et al. Tutt Library, YouTube.

 

Pirandello (1988) Ten Great Writers Series/RM Arts. Directed by Nigel Wattis. With Mitchell, Norton, Sciascia, et al. Department library, Tutt Library.

 

The Blood of a Poet (1932) Vicomte de Noailles. Directed by Jean Cocteau. With Rivero, Miller, Carton, et al. Tutt Library, YouTube.

 

My Life and Times with Antonin Artaud (1993) Archipel 33. Directed by Mordillat. With Frey, Barbé, Jezequel, et al. Department library, YouTube, in French.

 

Mother Courage

 

Blood Wedding (1981) Emiliano Piedra. Directed by Carlos Saura. With Gades, Hoyos, Mercé, et al. Tutt Library.

 

The Glass Menagerie (1973) ABC Films/Broadway Theater Archive. Directed by Anthony Harvey. With Hepburn, Waterston, Miles, Moriarty. Department library, YouTube.