Bertolt Brecht was a German playwright, theatre director, and poet who is widely regarded as one of the most influential theatre practitioners of the 20th century. He is best known for his epic theatre, which sought to challenge traditional theatrical conventions and to create a new form of political theatre. Brecht's works are often characterized by their use of alienation effects, which seek to distance the audience from the action on stage in order to encourage them to think critically about the events taking place.