Theatrical Movements

Theatrical movements refer to various styles, techniques, and philosophies that have
influenced and shaped the world of theatre throughout history. Here's a brief
overview of some major theatrical movements:

1. Classicism: Emphasized adherence to classical principles of drama, such as

unity of time, place, and action. Prominent during ancient Greek and Roman
times.
2. Medieval Theatre: Predominantly religious in nature, featuring morality plays,
miracle plays, and passion plays performed in churches and town squares.
3. Renaissance Theatre: Marked by a revival of classical themes and forms, with
an emphasis on humanism and individualism. Notable playwrights include
William Shakespeare.
4. Commedia dell'arte: An Italian theatrical form characterized by improvised
performances based on stock characters and scenarios.
5. Neoclassicism: A revival of classical principles during the 17th and 18th
centuries, emphasizing reason, order, and decorum.
6. Romanticism: Reacting against neoclassicism, romantic theater focused on
emotion, imagination, and the supernatural. Notable playwrights include
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Victor Hugo.
7. Realism: Emerged in the 19th century, emphasizing accurate depictions of
everyday life and social issues. Notable figures include Henrik Ibsen and Anton
Chekhov.
8. Naturalism: A more extreme form of realism, seeking to represent life with
scientific objectivity and deterministic forces. Prominent playwright: Émile
Zola.
9. Expressionism: A movement that emerged in the early 20th century,
emphasizing subjective emotions and distorted reality to convey psychological
truths.
10. Surrealism: Influenced by the surrealist art movement, surrealistic theater
aimed to explore the unconscious mind and challenge conventional dramatic
structure.
11. Theatre of the Absurd: Emerging after World War II, this movement focused
on the absurdity of the human condition, often featuring illogical situations
and existential themes. Playwrights include Samuel Beckett and Eugène
Ionesco.
12. Postmodern Theatre: Characterized by a rejection of traditional narrative
structures and a blurring of boundaries between high and low culture, reality
and fiction.