What is Theatre of the Absurd? Some examples of absurd play

"What do I know about man's destiny?  I could tell you more about radishes."

-Samuel Beckett

Theater of the Absurd came about as a reaction to World War II.  It took the basis of existential philosophy and combined it with dramatic elements to create a style of theatre which presented a world which can not be logically explained, life is in one word, ABSURD! Thus,

The Theatre of the Absurd is a designation for particular plays of absurdist fiction…as well as to the style of theatre which has evolved from their work. (wikipedia)

Needless to say, this genre of theatre took quite some time to catch on because it used techniques that seemed to be illogical to the theatre world.  The plots often deviated from the more traditional episodic structure, and seem to move in a circle, ending the same way it began.  The scenery was often unrecognizable, and to make matters worse, the dialogue never seemed to make any sense.

The “Theatre of the Absurd” is a term coined by Hungarian-born critic Martin Esslin, who made it the title of his 1962 book on the subject. According to Esslin, the five defining playwrights of the movement are Eugène Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, Arthur Adamov, and Harold Pinter, although these writers were not always comfortable with the label and sometimes preferred to use terms such as "Anti-Theater" or "New Theater".

 Examples of absurd play:

1.     Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

2.     Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco

3.     Journeys to the Home of the Dead by Eugene Ionesco

4.     The Room by Harold Pinter

5.     Mountain Language Harold Pinter