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Narrator:
When we think of plays, our minds go to famous ones like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Aida, Peter Pan, Oedipus Rex. But, do we realize what era some of our favorite plays come from? One of these is from a time period known as the European Modernism era. Peter Pan, the loveable tale of the boy who could never grow up, was written by the playwright James Matthew Barrie during the European Modernism age.

[Speaker 1]
//[Pan across busy road, people walking]// During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, new ideals began to take over European theatres. Many captivating and innovative plays arose from Europe during this time, including during this time, and it is therefore important to keep track of all of the different movements going on.

[Speaker 2]
This period of time in European theatre got its name, Modernism, from the western cultural movements that appeared during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. //[pan map of Europe]// Modernism affirms the idea of people improving and reshaping their environment through knowledge and technology. It also moves away from the cultural norms of the time, and incorporates nature into its art forms. //[fade in impressionistic painting]// A movement branching from modernism, one could argue, would be Naturalism, which, in the turn of the 20th century, rapidly became incorporated in European theatre.

[Speaker 3]
Developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Naturalism was a European theatre movement that attempted to create illusions of reality through dramatic and theatrical strategies, including the use of three-dimensional settings, prose rather than poetry, and more secular worldviews in the script. //[pan stage with heavy scenery and props, have actor hold up several props]// This movement then led to another movement that swept across Europe, which encouraged more emphasis on the emotions of an audience.

[Speaker 4]
//[have emotional, silent reading of lines by an actor]// Expressionism is an art form in which an artists distort reality for an emotional effect. The major expressionist movement in theatre occurred in early 20th century German theatre, one of it's most famous playwrights being August Strindberg.

[Speaker 1]
//[return to pan of busy street]// So, now that we have defined all of the cultural and artistic movements of this time period, let’s move further into the history of why these movements took place. [End] FADE IN: INT.

[Narrator]
(Voice Over) Modern European Theater is a period of time from the 1850’s-1920’s. During this time period the up and coming middle class was challenging the old system of the aristocracy. During this time four major writing and political movements developed: Socialism, Anarchism, Expressionism and Naturalism //Two of us appear on screen. We zoom into the two actors. They are having a conversation on a stage. The stage area surrounds us.//

[Speaker 1]
Yes, Socialism was a movement that advocated resources being equally distributed among the community. Anton Chekhov comments on this movement in his plays. During this time in Chekhov’s native Russia the Bolsheviks had gotten rid of the Imperial family and established a communist country. The wealth of the Imperials caused the peasants to revolt in 1917.

[Speaker 2]
Yeah, the peasants revolted and killed the Romanov regime. Even before that Chekhov writes about the conflict between the wealthy and the poor. He tends to sentimentalize the old regime especially in his play the Cherry Orchard. The wealth of the old regime is distributed among all the people in Russia, or so they say. (//Acts excited//) Speaking of rebelling the movement of anarchism was also popular during this time.

[Speaker 1]
You are right, anarchism was the belief of August Strindberg. He too felt the conflict between the classes as the problem of society. After the fall of the Paris Commune in 1871, he started to believe in anarchist socialism.

[Speaker 2]
(//confused//) Hunh anarchist socialism what is that?

[Speaker 1]
The belief that socialism lent itself to anarchism because with everybody contributing to the common good the government would not be needed. Duh (//rolls eyes//) Speaker 3 walks into the shot while the others do not notice. The actor looks impatient and tries to get the others attention.

[Speaker 3]
We need to be moving to Expressionism people. (//Taps their watch//)

[Speakers 1 and 2]
Where did you come from?

[Speaker 3]
(I//gnores the question//) Anyways expressionism becomes really popular; the first being the play Murder, The Hope of Women.

[Speaker 2]
Isn’t that the play in which the man slaughters everybody?

[Speaker 3]
(//Again the question is ignored//) Never mind that, expressionism was known for its’ heightened emotion and simplification to mythic characters. The main theme of expressionistic plays is the spiritual awakenings of the main protagonist.

[Speaker 1]
So is Expressionism and Naturalism like the same? //The camera turns to Actor 4. The others are off screen. Actor four looks surprised and faces towards the camera.//

[Speaker 4]
Expressionism is very different from naturalism. Naturalism is the movement away from the bourgeois to the common people. There is no supernatural element in this style.

[Speaker 1]
(//Frustrated)// Why does everybody just pop out of nowhere?

[Speaker 4]
The main difference between the two is that naturalism does not sentimentalize. So lets get on to the playwrights of this time… We need to move on. //The actors rush off the stage presumably to the next scene.//

End of scene

Author
//Katie walks in front of the camera onto stage by curtains from the right. As speaking, she paces.// //Katie stops moving when finished speaking.// //Allie walks in front of the camera up onto the stage from the stairs from the left. She speaks while walking to where Katie is.// //As Allie speaks, an image of Ibsen is shown.// //Katie and Allie exit the stage when finished.// //Michael and Liz both walk out at once onto the stage from the opposite stairs and begin to speak//. //An image of Strindberg is shown while Liz speaks.// //An image of Chekhov is shown while Michael speaks.// //Liz and Michael leave the stage from opposite stairs.// //Katie and Allie reappear on stage from opposite areas and begin speaking.// //An image of Wilde is shown while Allie speaks.// //An image of Shaw is shown while Liz speaks.// //An image of J. M. Barrie is shown while Michael speaks.// //All four exit the stage.//
 * // Shot 1 //**// : //
 * Katie:** Theater changes through time, through the works of people. Some authors of this time were Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.
 * // Shot 2: //**
 * Allie:** Known as father of modernism, the Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen, was born March 20, 1828, in Skien Norway. He attended the University of Christiania in the early 1850s. During his life, he was a poet, playwright, and essayists. In 1864, he used a government grant to travel to Rome, Italy, on a self-imposed exile for 27 years after nearly having a nervous breakdown from overwork. On May 23, 1906, He died in Oslo, Norway, from complications from a series of Strokes.
 * Katie:** Some of his works are Catiline (Catilina) in 1850, Peer Gynt in 1867, A Doll's House (Et Dukkehjem) in 1879, The Master Builder (Bygmester Solness) in 1892, When We Dead Awake (Naar vi dode vaagner) in 1899.
 * // Shot 3: //**
 * Liz:** Strindberg, a Swedish playwright, was born January 22, 1849, in Riddarholm, Stockholm, Sweden. In 1872-74, he was a journalist. He was an assistant librarian at the Royal Library in 1874. He founded Scandinavian Experimental Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1888, and the Intimate Theatre in 1907. In May 14, 1912, He died from stomach cancer. He is also known as one of the fathers of modern theatre. Some of his plays are Den Fredloese in 1871 (The Outlaw in 1881), I Rom (In Rome) in 1870, Miss Julie in 1881, Ett droemspel (The Dream Play).
 * Michael:** Chekhov, a Russian playwright, was born January 16, 1860, in Taganrog, Russia. He attended the University of Moscow a M.D. in 1884. He was a dramatist, short story writer, and novelist. He received Pushkin Prize for In the Twilight (V sumerkakh, a collection of stories) in 1888, and Griboedov Prize for The Three Sisters: A Drama in Four Acts (Tri syostry: Drama v chetyryokh deystviyakh). On July 2, 1904, He died of tuberculosis in Badenweiler, Germany. Another two of his plays were The Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya.
 * // Shot 4: //**
 * Katie:** A few more authors are Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and J. M. Barrie.
 * Allie:** Born on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland, Oscar Wilde is an Irish playwright. He died He wrote //The Importance of Being Earnest//, //An Ideal Husband//, and //A Woman of No Importance//. He died on November 30, 1900, in Paris France.
 * Liz:** Born on July 26, 1856, in Dublin, Ireland, Shaw was another Irish playwright. He wrote //Pygmalion//, //Caesar and Cleopatra//, and //Fanny’s First Play//. He died on November 2, 1950, in Ayot Saint Lawrence, Hertfordshire, England.
 * Michael:** Born May 9, 1860, in Kirriemuir, Forfarshire, Scotland, J. M. Barrie is a Scottish playwright. He wrote The Little Minister in 1897, Peter Pan (The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up) in 1904, Peter Pan: An Afterthought (When Wendy Grew Up) in 1908, Mary Rose in 1920. He died on June 19, 1937, in London, England.
 * Katie:** Each author is noted for having influenced modern plays, especially in their own country. They all used their nation's culture in history, including folklore and mythology, within their works. Also, issues within in society were put into their work as themes, topics concerning gender and the working class.

Remember how I mentioned Peter Pan before? Well, the character of Peter actually originated in a section of a book by James Matthew Barrie, the same novelist and playwright who eventually adapted his story into a play. It is a famous story even in our time, being made into various movies like Hook, and even the popular Disney animated movie. To think, all of these modern adaptations originated from this European idea.

Another playwright who made a name for himself during this era, August Strindberg, wrote a play called Miss Julie. He was very much into a naturalistic style of writing, and his style is direct and easy to understand. The play is about the love between a count’s daughter and his servant, and how the two of them aspire for independence. Scene:

MISS JULIE [enters; is disagreeably surprised; with forced jocularity). Charming partner you are, running away from your lady like that. JEAN. On the contrary, Miss Julie, as you see, I've hurried to find the one I just left. MISS JULIE [changing her tone]. You know, you're an incomparable dancer.--But why are you wearing livery? It's a holiday! Take it off at once! JEAN. Then I must ask you to withdraw for a moment, Miss Julie, my black coat is right here. . . [Gestures as he moves to the right] MISS JULIE. Do I embarrass you? It's just a coat. Go into your room, then, and be quick about it. Or you can stay and I'll turn my back. JEAN. With your permission, then. [Goes to the right; his arm is visible as he changes his coat MISS JULIE [to KRISTIN]. Well, Kristin; he's very familiar, are you and Jean engaged? KRISTIN. Engaged? If you like. We call it that. MISS JULIE. Call? KRISTIN. Well, your Ladyship, you've been engaged yourself, and. . . MISS JULIE. We were properly engaged. . . KRISTIN. But it still didn't come to anything. . . JEAN enters in black tail coat and a black derby hat. MISS JULIE. Très gentil, monsieur Jean! Très gentil! JEAN. Vous voulez plaisanter, madame! MISS JULIE. Et vous voulez parler français!* Where did you learn that? JEAN. In Switzerland while I was a sommelier!* at one of the biggest hotels in Lucerne.* MISS JULIE. You look quite the gentleman in that frock-coat. Charmant!* [She sits at the table JEAN. Oh, you're flattering me. MISS JULIE [offended]. Flattering you? JEAN. My natural modesty forbids me to believe that you would pay som myself to suppose that you were exaggerating, or as it is called, 'flattering'.

As evidenced by this scene from Miss Julie, women were being portrayed as a more assertive role during this time in Europe. They were not just sitting idly in a corner somewhere, sewing or cooking dinner; they were count’s daughters, swept up in adventure and falling in love. This was a sign of the progress that the world was making during this time.

The plays of this era reflected the changes going on throughout the world at this time. The playwrights simply adapted the hard facts into beautifully-written prose