The Burghers of Calais

In the "GAS trilogy" (The Coral, Gas I, and Gas II) Kaiser's fundamental theme, the regeneration of man, is presented in terms of contemporary social conflicts. The cycle of plays encompasses the entire evolution of capitalism within an abstract scheme. Kaiser was the leading playwright of German expressionism and exponent of its meager settings, show more violent contrasts, and love of the grotesque and shocking, all aimed at arousing in the beholder an intense "awareness of life." His more than 50 plays include every variety of style and subject matter, including social drama, comedy, farce, romance, legend, and history. His characters are types shorn of individual subtleties, embodiments of ideas pure and simple. He died in Switzerland. (Bowker Author Biography) show less