On conceptual ideas of “documentary epos” in Russian avant-garde and evolvement of Bertolt Brecht's theatrical practice

A few little-known facts, which impacted development of the aesthetic principles of the Russian avant-garde on artistic conceptions of representatives of the German socialistic drama, are considered in the article. Avant-garde movement appeared during the time of decadence preponderance in European and Russian culture. Trying to address the problem of decaying art, the avant-garde theorists introduced a set of conceptual ideas of the future epos aimed at the stimulation of life development. Real facts, documents, and newspaper materials act as a construction material for the “documentary epos” in conceptual ideas of S. Tretyakov. The method of cohesion, which reveals hidden social energy of the fragment, has a mosaic nature, by the analogy with the principles of seriality in Russian avant-garde art. Analysis of the studied materials lead us to a conclusion that exposure to aesthetic theories and theatrical practice of the Russian avant-garde exerted particular influence on B. Brecht's theory of the epic theatre.