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Practitioners and theatre makers
Quick questions on Brecht and epic theatre - Eduqas A-Level Drama and Theatre practitioners
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the alienation effect (Verfremdung)?Show answer
The alienation effect (often the "A-effect" or "V-effect") is deliberate distancing that stops the audience being absorbed. Making the familiar strange, exposing the means of production, and reminding the audience they are watching a constructed event all keep them critical. It is not coldness for its own sake; it is the condition for thought.
What is gestus?Show answer
Gestus is a single physical or vocal action that crystallises a social relationship or attitude. A servant who flinches before a raised hand, a boss who counts coins while a worker waits, a deferential bow: each shows the politics of the moment in the body, making a social truth visible at a glance.
What is q1?Show answer
Define the alienation effect and gestus. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Name three devices Brecht uses to break absorption. [3 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain how you would use Brecht's techniques to reinterpret a moment so the audience watched it critically. [10 marks]
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