Learning about Brecht and his influence on modern day theatre really helped me understand why we feel how we feel when we go to see a peice of theatre. Brecht wanted the audience not to only identify emotionally to what he/she was seeing but to relate to some extent and provoke a somewhat rational self-reflection and a critical veiw to what they were seeing. He did this by writing/directing 'political theatre'. This is political issues shaped and moulded into a peice. These were real issues, connecting with Stanislavsky's 'realism technique' in a sense. By showing real people not only a show, but within that show, political views/problems/situations that were happening. Brecht wanted to turn 'traditional theatre' on it's head a little bit. He didn't want to put on a 'nice' show to entertain people, although he obviously wanted to entertain to some degree, he wanted to show and inform people through theatre. He would use sound/song to interrupt the scene, he would also use harsh lighting to distract the audience in a sense and make them think about what they were watching. Brecht was a medical audily in WW1, when he was a young boy of 16. He must have seen people in so much pain and most likely many deaths. This must have given him a very strong political veiw on war and society at the time. Especially at such a young age, but an age where you are learning about society and understanding and deciding what you think is right and wrong. Being a medical helper, he obviously wanted to help people, and maybe writing plays that explored political themes, did that for him? I also wouldn't think after seeing such horrific sights in the war, he would be scared of much. So portraying his thoughts and opinions through theatre, I can't imagine he was afraid of writing anything that could maybe cause a disagreement. After discussing Brechts life and contribution to theatre, it led us in the way of politics, as a class talking about what politics is to us individually. I personally am really involved and interested in news/politics etc. I have very strong views and opinions on things that I agree and disagree with in our society, and I'm sure that I am not the only one so grateful that Brecht took it apon himself to teach the audience and sub consciously make them think about what is happening in our world and society. It has definitely had a huge influence on modern day theatre, and the plays that I find the most interesting challenge political views and make you walk out thinking about it and maybe even with a different (more open) veiw. 
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