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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The translator's notes in number 37 give a provisional account of the most important of Brecht's _____.

2. Who does Brecht mention in association with London theatre when he talks about the theatre centers of the world?

3. _____ are Brecht's collected plays in twelve volumes by Surhkamp and by Aufbau from 1953 and after.

4. Which aspect of epic theatre showed a montage of events all over the world?

5. Brecht says actors should act for an audience of _____.

Short Essay Questions

1. What songs did Brecht sing with Wedekind and what were they about?

2. Why have cuts been made in some of Brecht's essays in this book?

3. What is the distinction between learning and amusing oneself in the theatre?

4. How were theatrical productions in Russia, America and Germany similar to each other in Brecht's time.

5. What was theatre like and what was the flaw that young people found in theatre after World War I?

6. Why does Brecht write that there is nothing at all new about epic theater?

7. What is the objective of epic drama compared to pseudo-classical German drama?

8. What does Brecht say about the mediocrity of German theatre?

9. How did Wedekind present his last work, Herakles?

10. What is the relationship between a theatre and a play?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe how Charles Laughton employed gest and the alienation effect in his production of "Galileo". What was the goal of this production?

Essay Topic 2

Explain why Brecht believes theatre should transform society. How does this idea relate to his thoughts on aesthetics? How does it relate to capitalism? Who does he credit with helping him develop transformational theatre and why?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the term 'epic theatre'. What is the goal of epic theatre? How is it different from previous forms of theatre?

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