The concept of "epic theatre" was brought to life by German playwright, Bertolt Brecht. This direction of theatre was inspired by Brecht's Marxist political beliefs. It was somewhat of a political platform for his ideologies. Epic theatre is the assimilation of education through entertainment and is the antithesis of Stanislavsky's Realism and also Expressionism. Brecht believed that, unlike epic theatre, Expressionism and Realism were incapable of exposing human nature and so had no educational value. He conjectured that his form of theatre was capable of provoking a change in society. Brecht's intention was to encourage the audience to ponder, with critical detachment, the moral dilemmas presented before them.

In order to analyse and evaluate the action occurring on stage, Brecht believed that the audience must not allow itself to become emotionally involved in the story. Rather they should, through a series of anti-illusive devices, feel alienated from it. The effect of this deliberate exclusion makes

A play whose dramatic structure and didactic purposes epitomises epic theatre is The Caucasian Chalk Circle (CCC). The prologue of this play transpires in a Caucasian village of the Soviet Union, where the people of this village are being presented a play called "The Chalk Circle". This play is narrated by a "Singer" and embarks on the story of a servant girl, Grusha, who rescues the governor's son when their city falls under siege. The son, Michael, has been left behind, without so much as a backward glance, by his fleeing mother. Grusha escapes, with Michael in her arms, to the mountains where they live for over a year. Along this journey, countless places and people are encountered, a number that would only occur in epic theatre.

When performing an epic drama many Brechtian alienation techniques can be incorporated. To illustrate these possible techniques, scene 6 of the CCC will be briefly studied and directed. This scene begins with a narration by the Singer. During this speech the Singer could be finishing erecting the sets up on stage, demonstrating to the audience that the scenery and props are just that and not authentic. In Brecht's time he often used a German theatre called the Theater am Schiffbauerdamn where the auditorium was structured in an extravagant way close to fantasy, while its stage was stark and mechanical. This contrast reminded the audience that, while they were there to be entertained, they were also to think scientifically. Thus, a theatre resembling this layout could be employed.

it difficult for the audience to empathise with the characters and their

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