Today I learnt about the Brecht technique called 'Verfremdungseffekt' also known as the 'V' effect. Verfremdungseffekt is a German word which means 'alienation effect', and this means to create strange making, distancing or alienating. This action/technique is to de-familiarise and remind actors that it isn't reality, and that there isn't a 4th wall between the audience and the actors. For example, during a performance, part of the production could be the audience watching the actors warm up and prepare to perform, or it could be that the actors are totally opposite to the role they are given. Furthermore, another 'V' effect could be the actors having direct contact with the audience. This technique could work quite well to make a performance comical, or on the other hand it can make a performance quite intense as the audience are indulged in the same world as the actors, they are part of it too.
From doing my own research and learning a bit about the 'Brechtian technique' and the 'Verfremdungseffekt', I now have more understanding of what the purpose of this technique was. Therefore I can adapt to these techniques and improve my knowledge about it from here.
The 'V' effect is used to highlight part of a play that you want the audience to be aware of such as thoughts and actions, which will leave them with questions. This could be used to represent the main themes of a play which would be shown to the audience.
A quote that Brecht said was: 'The actors/artist never act as if there's a 4th wall. He expresses his awareness of being watched. The audience can no longer have the illusion of being the unseen spectator at an event which is really taking place'.
A link I found on YouTube had a quite interesting and more in-depth introduction about the Brechtian technique, which has expanded my knowledge about this.
No comments:
Post a Comment