Postdramatic theatrical signs in the Plays of Martin Crimp, Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill and Simon Stephens

Drama, which is related to literature, and theatre, which is related to performance and acting are used interchangeably without considering their definitions. Instead of using these two terms arbitrary, it is more important to focus on relationships which complete each other. Hans Thies Lehmann, a German theoretician, has laid emphasis on this relationship and identified new rules, signs and aspects. While making these definitions, Lehmann makes an analysis, starting from historical avant-garde movements to contemporary British theatre, and suggests theory of postdramatic theatre. Applying Lehmann's work this study examines changes in the dramatic structure related to the avant-garde movements, characteristics of 1990s theatre in Britain, In-Yer-Face theatre and new developments. This thesis investigates and develops a compositional system on the history of dramatic and postdramatic theatre through avant-garde movements, 1990s theatre, postdramatical signs and postdramatic aspects. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the dynamism, changes, critical purpose, socio-political importance, and effects of postdramatic theatre in the twentieth and twenty -first centuries. In the first part of this thesis characteristic of 1990s English theatre, In-Yer-Face theatre and periods of avant-garde movements have been studied in detail. Second chapter of this thesis analyzes concept of postdramatic theatre and postdramatic performance applying Hans Thies Lehmann's work. Third chapter of the thesis continues with instructions of postdramatical theatrical signs and considering these signs, Martin Crimp's plays Attempts on Her Life (1997) and Face to the Wall (2002) have been studied under the title of ―Deconstructing Subject and Non-Hierarchial Structure in Martin Crimp's Postdramatic Theatre‖ and Simon Stephens's play Pornography (2007) has been studied under the title of ―Lack of Plot and Deconstructing Character in Simon Stephens' Postdramatic Theatre‖. The fourth chapter sheds light on postdramatic aspects and using these aspects Sarah Kane's plays Crave (1998) and 4.48 Psychosis (2000) have been studied under the title of ―Violence, Pain and Catharsis in Sarah Kane's Postdramatic Theatre‖ and Mark Ravenhill's plays Faust is Dead (1997) and Pool (No Water) (2006) have been studied under the title of ―Deconstructing Time, Space, Body and Media in Mark Ravenhill's Postdramatic Theatre‖. As a conclusion this study identifies a selection of plays, performances and playwrights who each in distinct ways deconstruct traditional forms and conventional rules and integrate new structures and forms to their new theatre-aesthetic. The developed newlyconcepts and strategies were realised in some performances through postdramatical signs and postdramatic aspects based on Hans Thies Lehmann's work Postdramatic Theatre (2006) in the twentieth and twenty first centuries. These concepts and strategies have been analyzed related with plays of Martin Crimp, Simon Stephens, Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill. In the world, this thesis is the first study which analyzes postdramatic signs and aspects in the works of playwrights who dominate English theatre after 1990s. From this aspect this study puts new faces on our field and provides scientific contribution. Key Words: Dramatic Theatre, Postdramatic Theatre, Martin Crimp, Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill, Simon Stephens.