Reflections on Brechtian Distancing

Abstract

Distancing moves away from the aim of creating naturalism on stage and rejects illusion. The actor must present the character rather than become him. The character is mutable and makes responsible decisions regarding his own destiny. For Stanislavski, the actor facing the character declares, "I am"; Brecht, by contrast, employs the third person and maintains a distance from the character. Brecht used music and popular songs as a poetic language that enabled him to achieve the desired effects.