Instructional Video

Beckett, Ionesco, and the Theater of the Absurd: Crash Course Theater #45

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Beckett, Ionesco, and the Theater of the Absurd: Crash Course Theater #45 instructional video also includes:

Life doesn't make sense, so theater shouldn't make sense either. A video about the theater of the absurd, the 45th installment of the Crash Course Drama and Theater series, discusses the unique movement in theater history. An overview of the period, including introductions to the works of Genet, Beckett, and Ionesco, begins the video. A summary of the play The Maids appears as well.

1 Collection 9 Views 2 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • View or stage a performance of Waiting for Godot
  • Discuss the historical events that contributed to the playwrights' outlook on life
Classroom Considerations
  • Requires some knowledge of American history in the 1940s and 50s
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • Makes cross-curricular connections between history, English, and philosophy
  • Veers from the most well-known plays to expand learners' knowledge of the topic
Cons
  • Narrator often injects subjective comments rather than providing an objective summary