The term Epic theater is now widely used to describe the style and techniques popularized in Germany after World War I by directors Max Reinhart, Erwin Piscator and most specifically Bertolt Brecht. Epic theater is a form of didactic (intended to teach) drama presenting a series of loosely connected scenes that avoid illusion and often interrupt the story to address a story-line. Epic theater was first used in 1926 by Bertolt Brecht, and although he isn't the originator, he is well-known for it. In 1924 when Brecht moved to Berlin the first form of Epic theater had taken place. Future playwrights in the 1920’s followed in his footsteps.
Epic theater was looked at as confusing to most of its viewers. This simply because Brecht intention was to confuse the audience, but to inform them at the same time. Brecht’s intention was to provoke rational thoughts rather than illusion, which is used in other forms of theater. He wanted viewers to realize the social problems and be informed. Influenced by World War I's human cost, by the suffering of the middle and lower class during postwar recession of the 1920's and The Great Depression of the 1930's, and by the teaching of Marxism.
Brecht’s goal was to use confusing effects to block the emotional responses to audience members to make them feel objectively about the play, and not so connected. Brecht and his fellow epic theater artist devised a set of stating and acting techniques meant to teach their audience. Some of the techniques that they practiced were theatricalism, distancing , and alienation. Actors were instructed to keep a distance between characters and themselves and the characters they portrayed and emphasized eternal actions rather than emotions. (Jerquisha Figures)