Steven Berkoff

This Drama and Theatre A-Level section explores the practitioner Steven Berkoff. Steven Berkoff (b. 1937) is a British actor, playwright, and theatre director, known for his highly stylised and often provocative approach to theatre. He is particularly associated with physical theatre and expressionist drama, drawing on a blend of avant-garde techniques, Brechtian principles, and Eastern influences. Berkoff’s work often features stark, exaggerated physicality, intense characterisation, and a deep exploration of human emotions, power, and violence. He challenges traditional theatrical norms, creating visceral, dynamic performances that engage the audience both intellectually and emotionally.

Key Concepts and Ideas

Physical Theatre and Movement:

Berkoff’s theatre is grounded in the use of physicality. He believes that the body can express deeper truths and communicate complex emotions far more effectively than words alone. His performances often blur the line between movement and acting, with gestural expression being a central component of the storytelling. In Berkoff’s theatre:

• Exaggerated physicality: Characters often use larger-than-life gestures and sharp, angular movements, inspired by expressionism and dance.
• Minimalistic sets and props: The focus is on the actors' bodies and voices, with the physical actions telling much of the story. The simplicity of the staging allows the audience to focus on the emotional core of the performance.
• Highly stylised performances: Berkoff employs deliberate and theatrical movements, which can sometimes appear to be almost abstract or symbolic, aimed at enhancing the intensity of the drama.

Influence of Expressionism:

Berkoff’s style is heavily influenced by expressionism, a movement that focuses on exaggerated, distorted portrayals of reality to convey inner emotional states. Expressionist theatre often involves:

• Intense, emotional performances: Characters might express exaggerated or extreme emotions, revealing the internal struggles of the human psyche.
• Distorted reality: The world on stage can be highly stylised or distorted, reflecting the characters' inner turmoil or societal alienation.
• Fragmented dialogue: The language used can be disjointed or fragmented, enhancing the sense of disconnection or emotional overload.

Berkoff's plays often incorporate violent or brutal imagery, reflecting the tension between inner emotion and external reality, characteristic of expressionism.

Berkoff and the Influence of Brecht:

Steven Berkoff shares many similarities with Bertolt Brecht, particularly in his desire to distance the audience emotionally from the action on stage. This technique, known as the alienation effect, aims to provoke the audience into critical thought rather than passive emotional engagement. Berkoff’s theatre often includes:

• Direct address to the audience: Characters may break the fourth wall, acknowledging that they are part of a performance. This is meant to keep the audience aware of the theatrical nature of the work and prevent them from becoming overly immersed in the drama.
• Political and social themes: Much like Brecht, Berkoff’s plays frequently explore the power dynamics within society, focusing on themes like corruption, violence, and human suffering.

Influence of Eastern Theatre:

Berkoff’s work is influenced by Eastern theatre traditions, particularly Japanese Noh theatre, kabuki, and Indian Kathakali. These traditions place a strong emphasis on gestural performance, stylised movement, and ritualistic actions. Berkoff incorporates some of these elements into his work by:

• Using exaggerated movements and expressive gestures to convey emotion and meaning, similar to the techniques found in Asian theatre.
• Physical and vocal techniques that help actors to create heightened, almost mythic portrayals of characters.
• Stylised performance that often includes ritualistic or symbolic actions, reflecting Berkoff’s belief in the power of theatre to transcend realism and explore universal human experiences.

Language and Dialogue:

Berkoff’s dialogue can be poetic and rhythmic, often heightened in style to complement the physicality of the performance. His writing is known for its sharp, concise, and often brutal language, which matches the intensity of the physical action. The use of language in Berkoff’s work is:

• Minimalistic: Dialogue often serves a functional purpose, conveying essential emotions or ideas without unnecessary detail.
• Fragmented: Like in expressionist theatre, Berkoff’s characters sometimes speak in disjointed or fragmented sentences, which can heighten the sense of confusion, emotional turmoil, or alienation.
• Heightened and stylised: Berkoff uses poetic rhythms and alliteration to create a sense of intensity or urgency in the language.

Violence and Brutality:

Berkoff’s theatre often contains brutal or violent imagery, reflecting his view of the raw and aggressive nature of human existence. His work is deeply concerned with the extremes of human experience, including themes of power, corruption, violence, and sexuality. Violence in Berkoff’s work is often symbolic, highlighting societal injustices, human fragility, and the emotional and physical turmoil of his characters.

Key Works

The Trial (1981):

Berkoff’s adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Trial is one of his most famous works, combining his signature physical style with Kafka's existential themes. The play uses exaggerated physical gestures and movement to convey the sense of a nightmarish, bureaucratic world where the protagonist, Joseph K., faces a meaningless trial for an unknown crime. The staging is minimal, focusing on the physicality of the actors and the oppressive nature of the system.

Metamorphosis (1969):

Based on Kafka’s novella, Metamorphosis tells the story of Gregor Samsa, a man who wakes up one day transformed into a giant insect. Berkoff’s adaptation of this tale uses his signature physical style to portray Gregor’s grotesque transformation and the emotional and social alienation that follows. The production explores themes of identity, isolation, and family dynamics, with Berkoff using exaggerated physical performance to evoke Gregor’s monstrous and emotional struggle.

East (1975):

One of Berkoff’s most politically charged works, East examines the lives of working-class people in the East End of London, depicting their raw emotions and brutal realities. The play explores themes of violence, sex, and desperation, using stylised language and physicality to heighten the emotional intensity of the situations. East features an ensemble cast, and the characters are portrayed with a brutal honesty that critiques social conditions and the human condition.

West (1983):

A follow-up to East, West continues Berkoff’s exploration of the human condition but shifts focus to the more cosmopolitan setting of the West End of London. It critiques the materialism, selfishness, and alienation of modern life. The physicality and dialogue in West are still very much in line with Berkoff’s signature style—visceral, intense, and symbolic.

Berkoff’s Influence on Modern Theatre

Berkoff has had a profound influence on contemporary theatre, particularly in the areas of:

• Physical theatre: Berkoff’s use of exaggerated physicality to convey character and emotion is a key influence on contemporary physical theatre practitioners such as Frantic Assembly and DV8 Physical Theatre.
• Expressionism: His approach to heightened emotion and stylised performances has influenced a range of theatre companies and artists who focus on exploring the extremes of human experience, both in terms of emotion and action.
• Avant-garde theatre: Berkoff’s experimentation with physicality, language, and theatre conventions has contributed to the development of avant-garde and experimental theatre in the UK and beyond.
• Film and television: Berkoff has also worked in film and television, bringing his distinctive physical style to cinematic performances. His work in television series like The Bill and in films like Octopussy has made his unique approach more widely recognised.

Criticisms of Berkoff’s Work

• Over-the-top physicality: Some critics argue that Berkoff’s use of exaggerated physicality can be excessive and detracts from the emotional depth of the characters.
• Violence and brutality: Berkoff’s frequent use of violence and brutal imagery has been criticised as sensationalist and gratuitous, especially when used to depict human suffering.
• Alienation: While Berkoff draws on Brechtian alienation techniques, some critics feel that his approach can result in an emotional distance between the audience and the characters, making it harder for the audience to connect on a deeper level.

Summary

Steven Berkoff’s theatre is known for its intense physicality, stylised performances, and exploration of human emotion and violence. His work challenges conventional ideas of drama, using expressionism, physical theatre, and avant-garde techniques to engage the audience intellectually and emotionally. While his style can be polarising, Berkoff’s influence on modern theatre is undeniable, particularly in the areas of physical theatre and the exploration of the darker aspects of the human condition.