Skip to content
EntityQ3104580· pop 5· linked from 86 articles

Gestus (, from Latin meaning "gesture, attitude, carriage") is an acting technique developed by the German theatre practitioner Bertold Brecht. It carries the sense of a combination of physical gestures and "gist" or attitude. It is a means by which "an attitude or single aspect of an attitude" is revealed, insofar as it is "expressible in words or actions."

~4 min read

Article

2 sections
Contents
  • Citations
  • General and cited references

Gestus (, from Latin meaning "gesture, attitude, carriage") is an acting technique developed by the German theatre practitioner Bertold Brecht. It carries the sense of a combination of physical gestures and "gist" or attitude. It is a means by which "an attitude or single aspect of an attitude" is revealed, insofar as it is "expressible in words or actions."

Gestus, as the embodiment of an attitude, carries at least two distinct meanings in Brecht's theatre: first, the uncovering or revealing of the motivations and transactions that underpin a dramatic exchange between the characters; and second, the "epic" narration of that character by the actor (whether explicitly or implicitly).

Available in 5 languages

via Wikidata sitelinks · CC0

Connections

Categories