An Analytical Study on the Alienation Effect in Brechtian Theatre and Sankarian Theatre

Abstract

Brechtian theatre, also known as epic theatre, emerged as a new theory of theatrical presentation in Germany during the early decades of the twentieth century. The principal advocate of epic theatre was Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). In German, 'epic' refers to a specific narrative style. This form of epic theatre developed as a challenge to Aristotle’s poetics, which was considered the foundation of all arts and realistic theatre. The theatres that adopt Brecht’s methods are called Brechtian theatre, best known for its distinctive alienation effect. Similarly, Sankari theatre, also known as Assamese Bhaona, was developed by the renowned philosopher, artist, reformer, and dramatist Sankardeva during medieval Assam amid the Neo-Vaishnavism movement. It employed dramatic techniques with an alienation effect; however, it did not garner international recognition like Brecht's work due to limited critical analysis and the incorrect use of terms such as Ankia Nat and Bhaona to describe Sankardeva's theatrical forms and dramas. As a result, this study re-evaluates Sankardeva's theatrical techniques through a comparative analysis with Brechtian theatre, focusing on the alienation effect present in both.