The post-war Theater witnessed the alterations that the whole world underwent in the course of the Second World War. Right after the war, the European theatrical scenes were occupied by the plays of three authors. They are Tennessee Williams with his “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, Jean-Paul Sartre with “No Exit”, and Samuel Becket “Waiting for Godot”;
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Modern Theatre comes from the European Renaissance Theatre of the 16th-17th centuries that dates back to the Ancient Greek and Roman Theatre. Its foundation was laid down in England and Italy, especially by the English Renaissance Theatre between in the period between Reformation and theatre closure in 1642;
The beginning of the 19th century was swept by the never-before-seen cultural movement known as Romanticism. One of the first European dramatists who got himself involved in this process was August Schlegel that considered W. Shakespeare the greatest playwright;
North-European Theatre
Germany was isolated from the rest of the Europe for a long time in all spheres of life, including cultural aspect. It was due to the fact that this was country was split into more than 400 principalities that were ultimately united only in the 1860s under Bismark. As a consequence, it was only in the 18th century that theatre is finally established in Germany. The first person who greatly contributed to the German theatre was Johann Gottshed. He was the first person who wanted to coordinate literature (the source of the theatre) and theatre and improve the educational level of his countrymen.
The next important theatrical author was Gotthold Lessing. He is considered to be the first true German playwright. His most well-known pieces are "Miss Sarah Sampson" and "Minna von Branhelm". Actually, these both are the first national German comedies.
The next 25 years (1775-1800) are regarded as the golden Age of the German Classical Theatre. Two German playwrights rule the world of drama. They are August Iffland and August Kotzebue. Iffland was the chief of Berlin State Theatre and did his best to spread theatrical art all around his motherland. Kotzebue was famous for adjusting theatre to the modern trends that "sparkled" the public.
Still, the most renowned German dramatist of all times and nations was Johann Goethe. His two most eminent works "Faust" and "Gotze von Berlichingen" brought global fame. Most scientists consider him the founder of all modern German culture.