Theatre of the Grotesque

For the broader art movement, see Grotesque.

The Theatre of the Grotesque was a twentieth-century dramatic movement.[1] It is a theatrical style that was developed as a derivative to the late eighteenth-century art movement 'Grotesque' and thus translates the themes and images of the grotesque art into theatrical practices.[1]

'Theatre of the Grotesque' rejects naturalism through surreal comedy, reconciling conventionally conflicting concepts.[2] This style of theatre was popularised globally in the early twentieth century through a strong presence in the Italian theatre scene.[3] 'Theatre of the Grotesque' reached its global peak of prominence in the mid-twentieth century.[1]

Despite not being frequently produced in pure form in contemporary theatre, 'Theatre of the Grotesque' has remained influential in theatre since its inception boasting a clear legacy in both style and practice.[3] Specifically, 'Theatre of the Grotesque' is credited with being the precursor to major contemporary theatrical styles, 'Theatre of the Absurd', and 'Black Comedy'.[4]

  1. ^ a b c Fearnow, Mark. The American Stage and the Great Depression. Cambridge University Press, 2006
  2. ^ Remshardt, Ralf (2004). Staging the Savage God. Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 9781472456984.
  3. ^ a b Calendoli, Giovani. "Theatre of the Grotesque". The Drama Review, vol 22, no. 1, 1978, pp. 13-16., Accessed 11 Apr 2019
  4. ^ Bennett, Michael Y. Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd. University Of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009.