Brecht Paper

8/14/2019 Brecht Paper

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Brian Reager

Gordon Farrell

May 14, 2012

Theatre History

O Brecht the Lord My Soul!

A Comparison between Brecht and the hit musical, Godspell

Brechts world of Epic Theatre has been a device that has both baffled and

refreshed audiences perception of theatre for nearly a century. For centuries

theatre was intended to surround the audiences emotions. Great illusions were

created to shield the audience from realizing that the plays they were viewing

werent actually happening but were being performed by laborers who just wanted

to entertain them. Brechts techniques were some of the first to shatter this illusion

and bring the theatre world into a new agean age where audiences were free to

feel nothing. Naturally these techniques have been modified and borrowed for some

of todays most successful theatrical experiences. These techniques provide the

audience with the realization that what they are watching is being performed for

them to tell a story.

Brechts technique of Epic Theatre did three main things. 1.) It challenged the

idea that theatre has to be based on emotion 2.) It asserted that emotion based

theatre will always be corrupt, because when an audience is in a play and emotional,

they cannot learn anything of importance. 3.) It was based on the idea that learning

is one of the most satisfying things a human can engage in (Farrell). Brecht hoped to


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shatter two main illusionsan achievement we call the verfremdungseffekt

(Farrel). One was the illusion of plot, which propels the audience into a world of our

own and lets us become aware of human emotions (Farrell). The second was the

illusion of scenery, which convinces the audience that we are in a place other than

the theatre to evoke a storybook fantasy(Farrell). Brecht believed that by

showing things in the most unfamiliar way possible, one would be kept from falling

into habitual responses (Farrell). This meant drawing away from non-Aristotelian

theatre techniques. He helped spark the movement of Epic theatrewhose

structure included multiples locations, large cast sizes, large periods of time, and

many storylines (Calabro, 24). Brechts most important contribution to modern

theatre was his directorial knowledge. He used special relationships that gave focus

to carefully placed characters and groupings, which would physically clarify the

fable being told (Calabro, 24).

Brecht felt that the detachment between actors and audience was not great

enough, that one tried much too much to move the audience, and not enough to

show them; in other words, too many participational interactions, not enough

objectivity (Sartre). [Epic Theatre] is opposed to catharsis as the sole purpose of

drama. Believing, as it does, that the basic purpose of drama is to teach, it opposes

the current notion that the basic purpose of drama is to purge the spectator and to

do no more than that. Epic maintains that the spectator should not merely be

relieved of his apprehensions but that he should be shown how to deal with his

problems (Gorelick).


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In 1970 a man by the name of John-Michael Tebelak created a senior thesis

project while going to school at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The

project used the parables and teachings of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of

Matthew, and presented them in a Brechtian manner with songs and use of

instruments; this project was called Godspell. The piece was inspired by Harvey

Coxs book, The Feast of Fools,which stressed the importance of fantasy and

festivities in modern theology. Festivals allow the mind to be free thinking and

away from constraints of government and dogmatic guilt (Cox). Therefore, religious

ideologies and scriptural perspectives must be brought up through the theology of

juxtaposition, and one of the most prominent symbols of this idea brought up in the

book is Christ the Harlequin(Cox). The musical tells the story of a group of people

who form a community under the leadership of a Christ figure and perform his

messages using many techniques found in verfremdunseffekt. The actors presented

themselves as actors and not characters until they were performing in the parables

that were obviously dramatized to show that it was being acted out and not true

character investment. Also very similar to a Brecht show, Godspell calls for the

actors to play instruments and sing hymns based on the lessons learnedset to

rock music by famed composer Stephen Schwartz. In fact, in all productions of

Godspell, the casts original names are the names of their characters except for

Jesus and John the Baptist/Judas.

In relationship to Brechts plightwith the illusion of plotwhich propels the

audience into a world of our own and lets us become aware of human emotions

Godspell presents its parables without a linear structure. The opening of the play


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shows the disciples being baptized and the last few minutes of the show reenact the

Last Supper and Crucifixion. There is no real storyline in between, no tricks to make

you like the characters more, there is only the parables the teach the community as

well as the audience how to better their lives and love, regardless of government

and doctrinal pressures. In relation to the illusion of scenerywhich convinces the

audience that we are in a place other than the theatre to evoke a storybook

fantasyGodspellestablishes the space as no more than a space with planks, saw

horses, garbage cans filled with old clothes and trinkets, and lastly a chain link fence.

In fact the acclaimed Russian stage designer, Mordecai Gorelik explains that

regarding the Epic Structure, The epic setting, in the productions of both Brecht

and Piscator, has been colorful inventive, rich in detail and dynamic in function

(Gorelik, 35-36). The actors use these props to tell the different parables, even

stripping down their old clothes and putting on ridiculous costumes to separate

themselves from society. They themselves have created a community or tribe from

which they are free to act as foolish and carefree as they please. By showing Jesus

and the apostles as clowns or harlequins, Tebelak is keeping the audience from

falling into habitual theological interpretations of Jesus by portraying him in the

most unfamiliar way possible, very similar to Brecht.

Like Epic Structure, Godspell includes multiples locations, large periods of

time, and many storylines. The actors use the trash and other materials thrown

around the stage to represent different objects and to establish different

authoritative positions. In relationship to Brechts most important contribution to

modern theatrehis directorial expertise, Tebelak also places the actors in groups


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to physically convey the different fables being told. For example, Jesus separates the

actors into two groups to symbolize the lambs (or good people) and the goats (the

sinners). Also in a scene involving the Pharisees, Stephen Schwartz describes the

staging used by the actors to create one manifestation of a dogmatic machine. In

the original, this entailed setting up the table on a diagonal SL; ROBIN, HERB and

JEFFREYwho played the Phariseesbedecked themselves with tin foil, to

simulate rich raiment, and positioned themselves on and below the table in a

vertical line, looking somewhat like a three-headed idol. The Pharisees are grand,

grandiose and self-important, yet highly aware of public opinionin other words,

politicians (Schwartz).

Another stage direction that is very reminiscent of Brecht is the crucifixion.

Brecht loved to attend the circus and loved the idea of working-class people giving

all they could to entertain the masses (Farrell). In the scene where Judas betrays

Jesus and crucifies him, Schwartz gives us this direction. He blows a shrill blast on

the whistle. Loudly and harshly, he starts singing an old-style circus tune, as if he

has now become the Ringmaster. He rolls up his sleeves like a magician, revealing a

red ribbon tied to each of his wrists. He stands above JESUS; arms outstretched and

raises his eyes heavenward. Then with a sudden movement, he grabs JESUS under

the arms and begins to drag him back towards the fenceduring the following,

JUDAS takes the red ribbons and ties JESUS outstretched arms to the fence

(Schwartz). Similar to Brecht, the audience realizes what is happening but it is no

surprise since nearly the entire world knows the story of Jesus. All they can do is

focus on the event itself and not question it. Also the red ribbons, on top of binding


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Jesus to the fence, also act as a symbol for his bloodanother reminder that we are

watching a theatrical piece, not reality.

This is only one show that takes its influences from Brechts techniques.

Currently on Broadway, a dramatic adaptation of the Peter Pan prequel Peter and

the Starcatcherproduced by Disney Theatricsutilizes Brechtian staging by

having minimal but flexible set and adding songs that comment on the action taking

place. Also the recent Godspellrevival is enjoying on open-ended run on Broadway

as wellalthough it is a lot more updated and has been panned for being too self-

indulgent. Brecht will continue to influence theatre for years to come, as long as

there is an audience that is willing to let their emotions go.


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Works Cited

Calabro, Tony. Bertolt Brecht's Art of Dissemblance. Wakefield, NH: Longwood

Academic, 1990. Print.

Cox, Harvey Gallagher. The Feast of Fools; a Theological Essay on Festivity andFantasy,. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1969. Print.

Farrell, Gordon. "Theatre History II." Brecht. Marymount Manhattan College, New

York, NY. 2 May 2012. Lecture.

Gorelik, Mordecai. An Epic Theatre Catechism. The Tulane Drama Review. 1959.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. "Beyond Bourgeois Theatre." Sorbonne, Paris. 1960. Lecture.

Schwartz, Stephen. Godspell: Libretto and Principal-chorus Vocal Book. New York:

Theatre Maximus, 1971. Print.

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