By Aaron B. Baker


The traditional Greek civilization was in charge of the origin of Theater and evolving arts in that field. One of the most prominent play writers of this time was Aristophanes who was considered to be the best comic dramatist of his times. All his plays revolved around issues like morality, politics, along an abundance of literature. His storyline managed the everyday life of the people of Athens. As soon as the Peloponnesian War Aristophanes was so deeply effected from the bloodshed of his fellow beings, he wrote four plays revolving around it. One of several plays "Lysistrata" was the most prominent work of all, which was aimed to bring peace and harmony inside society but with a light note.

After the World War II the whole world was shattered and inhabitants worldwide baldy needed something that would relieve their mind of all the massive destruction and bloodshed. Citizens were so desperate to drift in the harsh reality that some sect of individuals nicknamed as "Absurdists" gave birth to a different genre of theater called the Theater of the Absurd. This term was brought into existence by Martin Esslin to the new kind of plays sprouting in Europe and America. The aim of such plays was to deviate peoples' mind, although the storyline had some preposterous elements a part of it. Some of the common "Absurdists" were Eug?ne Lonesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet and Harold Pinter. At a later date this kind of thinking lead to the continuing development of Philosophy of existentialism according to which more emphasis pays to individual existence and total freedom. But this philosophy has much wider spectrum and cannot be described in few words.

Meta theaters are that classification of theaters, which blurred the gap between the actors and the audience. The actors truly must be the dynamic part of the play nevertheless the onlookers, too, are expected to get participating in the proceedings from the play. Schemes are developed for the spur of the moment so its no more vivid to the audience what's actual part of the storyline and what patches are actually added. This practice was made during the Elizabethan Era, which is additionally known as the Renaissance Period which is still popular in the modern times.

Richard Wagner was the brainchild behind the Theaters known as Gasamtkuntswerk or more commonly referred to as Total Art Work. These brands of theaters are recognized to have all the flavoring elements that one can think of within its radius. Drama, music, dances and Greek Theater extract operate in harmony to bring out the essence of the story being enacted. Steven Berkoff took this concept a step further by introducing actors who might be characters and presented with regards to the theme at different times. Props were also utilized to bring in more realism. With all these elements sometimes the plays reached that superficiality and exaggeration.

Jerzy Grotowski gave rise to an alternative type of Theater, which was targeted, for people of the lower sectors of the society. In Poland, while working together with his troupe, Jerzy recognized the needs of the poor people there and understood their lack of ability to shell out money for big theaters. These concepts got popular especially in the 1960s' and 70s'. In such theaters there wasn't a different stage of performing rather the performers and the audience occupied exactly the same space. Since rich people didn't finance these theaters there is a lack of props, detailed costumes, adequate lightning proper sets, and also other technical features. The performers were outstanding and vivid in order to overcome the lack of good costumes. The actors were built to go through rigorous training involving months of practicing and rehearsing. Physical workout seemed to be a part of it. Many acting troupes and aspiring actors go by this method to gain popularity the more way. Grand Guignol is coined from your Theatre du Grand Guignol of Paris, France, is a type of theater class, which features a lot of gruesome violence. This term is employed till date to refer to bloodshed melodramas.




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