Theatre of the Absurd

The Theatre of the Absurd emerged in a post-war era, in a world where the precariousness of human existence had never felt more pronounced. It was hugely influenced by the growing popularity of existentialism in Europe. This guide will look at the origins of the movement and the need to communicate post-war society on stage. It then looks at the common elements of an absurdist play and some of the most influential absurdist playwrights.

Terminology

• Avant-Garde Theatre: experimental theatre that began in France in the mid-nineteenth century as a reaction against accepted traditional theatre and dramatic ideas.
• Existentialism: a philosophical theory which emphasizes the existence of the individual person with their own free will.
• Non-linear: not sequential or straightforward.

Key Dates & Events

• 1906 - 1989 - Life of Samuel Beckett
• 1909 - 1994 - Life of Eugène Ionesco
• 1910 - 1986 - Life of Jean Genet
• 1947 - Premiere of Jean Genet’s The Maids
• 1950 - Premiere of Eugène Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano
• 1953 - Premiere of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot
• 1961 - Jean Genet's The Blacks opened Off-Broadway at St. Mark's Playhouse and became the longest-running non-musical of the decade.