Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: Brechtian techniques

15 minutes

Find Out: STOP the Coward Punch analysis

30 minutes

Take Action: Applying Brechtian Techniques

5 minutes

Reflection

Tune In: Brechtian techniques

Step 1

Explain to the class that Bertolt Brecht was a famous theatre practitioner in the earlier part of the last century during the 1920s to 1940s. Brecht believed that theatre could bring about social change. In today’s lesson, you will be exploring Brecht’s techniques and creating a piece of theatre to educate the audience about an important social issue.

Step 2

Distribute the Student Worksheet. Read over the Brecht Observation Table and clarify each technique for the class, answering any questions.

Step 3

Explain that in the first part of this activity, students will be in a group that will look for just one of the Brechtian techniques in the advertisements.

Divide the class into six groups and give each group a number corresponding to the technique on the Student Worksheet. Invite the groups to talk about the technique they have been assigned and make sure that everyone in the group understands what they are looking for.

Find Out: STOP the Coward Punch analysis

Step 1

Show three advertisements from the STOP the Coward Punch campaign. Advise the class that in the first viewing they are just to watch and then the ads will be played twice again to give them a chance to write down their observations.

Step 2

Play each of these advertisements three times over:

Video 1

VICTIM (https://vimeo.com/669686301/5046df992c) Password: CowardCool

Video 2

NOT TOUGH (https://vimeo.com/668028158/8373b968de) Password: CowardCool

Video 3

Swipe Out Violence (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfRtZZWZLek)

Step 3

After viewing each video three times, the groups should discuss their observations about their assigned technique/s and complete their notes.

Brecht Observation Table

Possible answers:

Brechtian Techniques	Video 1: VICTIM	Video 2: NOT TOUGH	Video 3: Swipe Out Violence
1. Direct address to audience Actors often faced the audience and spoke directly, breaking the fourth wall.	Victim straight to camera and tears on the cheek	Danny Green, ex-boxer Neurosurgeon Jon Walker speaks straight to the camera Parents look directly at the camera holding a photograph of their dead son	The girl looks directly to the camera with the final line “Violence is ugly and it makes you ugly too”
2. Use of Gestus Gestus was a theatrical technique that combines gesture and a social meaning in a single movement, stance or vocal display. Use of symbolic gesture was important to Brecht.	Punch movement Body movement of grief Covering the body with the sheet	Punch movement Body movement of grief Covering the body with the sheet	Swipe of fingers across the screen (resembling Tinder) Bully flicking hair back gesture Actor holding fists up as if victorious
3. Use of music Music used to evoke a mood.	Ominous tone that builds and is consistent throughout; ends on one strong sustained note	Music fast and tense creating an urgent feel	Fast beat and pace with predominance of percussion, sounding like party music; the music builds to create tension
4. Use of narrator Narration was common in Brechtian dramas.	Victim narrates the scene for the audience and also provides voice-over narration	Danny Green, ex-boxer narrates straight to camera and also as a voice-over	The main girl narrates the end of the ad giving the final message to the audience
5. Disjointed time sequence Brecht's plays were not staged in a linear way. They might include flashbacks or flashforwards.	Moves from flashbacks in victim’s life to flashforward Time moved down to slow motion for the punch to emphasise it to the audience	Flashforwards and flashbacks showing the coward punch incident and the consequences Day and night scenes alternate Locations alternate	Quick movement between scenes, indicating an unrealistic timeframe
6. Disconnected montage (episodic) A lot of the dramatic action was episodic with a disconnected montage of scenes.	Moving from punch to hitting head to hospital scene to surgeon covering body to shots of the bedside and his life before	Authentic photos of true events are interspersed with the fictional narrative which creates pathos for the audience (documentary feel)	Quickly shifts between multiple scenes of violence at the party
7. Social commentary Brecht believed in social activist theatre and performances were designed to challenge audiences on important social issues.	Anti-violence message to the audience Commentary on senseless violence and anger	Appeal to the community to stop the coward punch	Comments to young people about the ugliness of violence

Step 4

Facilitate a discussion on the Brechtian techniques demonstrated in the advertisements. Invite each group to share their findings with the rest of the class. Students can fill in the gaps on their worksheet for the remaining techniques.

Take Action: Applying Brechtian Techniques

Step 1

Explain to the class that they will now prepare a short piece (2-3 minutes) of non-naturalistic theatre that educates their peers about the coward punch and its impact. Groups may choose any of the elements on the Brecht Observation Table.

They can include aspects of the advertisements within their dramas, for example:

Use the swipe gesture in your improvisation. You could exaggerate the swipe - small or large and experiment with it, adding words and breaking the fourth wall. You can also play multiple characters in your improvisation.

Step 2

Give the class 20 minutes to prepare their 2-3 minute devised performances. The teacher observes the groups working and encourages the students to succeed with this task, reminding them to specifically use some of Brecht’s techniques in their performance.

Step 3

Allow each group to perform their short improvised play, making sure they tell the audience which Brechtian techniques they are using. Remind the class to observe the plays respectfully and take note of how the actors have applied Brechtian techniques and made the audience think about the coward punch.

Reflection

Invite students to complete these questions in their drama journal or on the Student Worksheet:

How effective do you think Brecht’s techniques are in communicating a message for social change?
What are some of the challenges of planning a performance using non-naturalistic techniques?
What might you do differently next time?

Differentiated Learning

Extension -

A further study of Brecht through play extracts of Mother Courage and Her Children would greatly benefit and enhance students’ understanding of Epic Theatre.
A more detailed piece of non-naturalistic theatre could be rehearsed and developed on the coward punch.
Students could extend themselves by experimenting with Brechtian techniques to communicate a message about a social issue they feel strongly about.

Provisions for Learning Support - Some students may need assistance with understanding the definitions and practical applications of the Brechtian techniques. Being part of a group will support their learning where the knowledge and confidence of peers will assist them. They may take on a minor role within the improvisation if they are feeling unsure. Place students who are challenged by this work with other students who will give them confidence with their performance work. Extra attention and focus may be needed with this student during preparation time. The teacher can coach the student from the sidelines in an unobtrusive manner.

Coward Punch - Brecht And Non-naturalism

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