Two Stupid Questions...

[UptownGirl]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:48pm

1) What does it mean to "break the fourth wall"?

and

2) What do people mean when they refer to "The Powers That Be"?

I probably sound really ignorant right now, lol.

[Broadway_freak]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:51pm

The fourth wall is the wall between you the performer and the audience. Basically if you do a take to the audience or igknowldge thre presence that's "breaking the fourth wall", and i have no idea what the poers that be means. sorry

[actress_06]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:51pm

well I don't know about the second question, but in the theater there is this distinction between the actors and the audience this seperates the two. So by saying that you are "breaking the fourth wall" that is saying you're disolving the seperation of the audience and the actors. I hope that helps

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:54pm

The powers that be is a reference to anything that is "superrior" to you (ie. God, parents, boss)

[Kringas]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:56pm

From a Google search - "From the Bible. Romans 13:1. 'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: The powers that be are ordained of God.'" I always assumed it had some sort of biblical origin.

When one usually speaks of "the powers that be" they are referring to some sort of unnamed force above/in control of the situation.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:56pm

Powers that be are fate/is fate - I dunno.

It depends on the context.

[UptownGirl]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:58pm

Thanks guys! This helped

[Kringas]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 5:59pm

Thenardier is correct that it depends on context. You may hear someone complaining about work and what's being expected of the by "the powers that be," etc.

Posted: 6/8/05 at 6:03pm

The phrase "Breaking the fourth wall" refers to moments that shatter the suspension of disbelief and remind the audience that they are watching a show-- that the moment is not real. In Spamalot they "Break the wall" by remarking that they are lost in a "Terribly expensive forest" or by the Lady Of the Lake complaining that she has had nothing to do in act 2. They also stop the show to look for the grail and acknowledge there is an audience watching. In the Producers, Max does it in "Betrayed" when he recaps the story so far and pauses, motionless, before explaining "Intermission!"

I am assuming this refers to the early article that says every best musical nominee this year "Broke the 4th wall." I have no idea how "Light in the Piazza" does that.


Updated On: 6/8/05 at 06:03 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 6:04pm

We Jews refer to it a lot.

Jewish woman in heavy Yiddish/Brooklyn accent: "Well, the powers at be thought it a good idea to give me such hips!"

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/8/05 at 6:18pm

In Piazza, Margaret frequently speaks to the audience, and Fabrizio's mother sings a song to the audience.