THE THEATRE OF THE ABSURD
The Theatre of the Absurd surfaced in the 1950s with a group of
playwrights who included Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco,
Jean Genet and Harold Pinter. Their avant garde plays expressed the belief in a godless
universe where human existence has no meaning or purpose so therefore all communication
breaks down. Logical construction and argument gives way to both irrational and illogical
speech. The Theatre of the Absurd reached it's ultimate conclusion in Beckett's play
'Breathe' in 1970 - this play consisted of noise rather than dialogue.
Key works include the following plays:
The Lesson by Eugene
Ionesco - 1951
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett - 1952
Endgame by Samuel Beckett - 1957
The Balcony by Jean Genet - 1957
Rhinoceros by Eugene
Ionesco - 1958
The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter -1958
The Caretaker by Harold Pinter - 1960
For more information on The Theatre of The Absurd and related topics I
recommend visiting Absurdity in
Contemporary World Literature.
