HSTheatricalism

To me, theatricalism is a type of theatre meant to really jar the audience's senses. It is meant to remind the audience that they are not always supposed to understand and be able to interpret the play. They are supposed to be entertained and enjoy the show. For example, in Beckett's //Play,// Beckett tells the actors to give their speech rapidly and with a monotone voice. They are also supposed to repeat the play until the audience has left the theatre. This could be very representative of Purgatory, but it also, in many ways, does not make much sense. I most certainly did not put that connection together, and I think that many audience members would also find it hard to make the connection. Also, in the youtube version, the actors were given makeup which I found to be rather fascinating. This is an element of theatricalism. Theatricalism is supposed to draw you into the performance, and the makeup most certainly did that for me. //Einstein on the Beach// is another example in which theatricalism is used. I do not understand the concept of that opera at all. This could be due to the fact that I have only seen short clips from the full production, but, from what I saw, I could not figure it out. I think it is supposed to be that way though. Again, theatricalism is supposed to draw a person in and remind that person that he/she is not necessarily supposed to understand. He/she is supposed to be entertained. I believe this opera probably would entertain me, but it would also be frustrating until I learned to give up on understanding it. The most bizarre form of theatricalism that we have seen, I believe, is the //Sonnet Shakespeare.// It most certainly drew me in through the distinctive costumes and the blue lighting. I loved that they all had a sense of coldness to them. I wish I could have understood them though, because they were speaking in German. I thought it was clever that when one person would begin to sing, his/her gas measurer would start to move. They moved very slowly, and I think this is another characteristic of theatricalism; it was done in all three examples I have used thus far. But I did not understand what the gas nozels had to do with Shakespeare's sonnets, and I think that is precisely the point. Theatricalism is a combination of the actors/actresses moving slowly, the performance drawing a person to it, and reminding the audience they are not supposed to necessarily interpret or understand the work. They should just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.