Download Lesson One - Drama Queensland

Lesson One
Aim: Provide focus for students and to explore the notion of perspective taking in theatre.
Letter writing
Students identify their personal and educational aims for the term in drama. Students consider their results and experiences from the
previous term when writing the letter. The letter is submitted to the teacher.
Warm up – Switch impro
In pairs students play switch impro to explore taking opposing perspectives. During the scene when the whistle is blown the actors
swap roles and adopt a new set of attitudes and beliefs.
Situations:
Prime Minister meeting with a union leader
Employer interviewing a potential employee
Queen speaking with a villager
News headlines
Step One
Divide into groups of four. Each group is a given a separate news headline. Groups develop own improvisation in the Style of
Realism.
Headlines provided:
“Fake doctor refused bail”
“Prayers and pain as Rita roars in”
“The Day I had to Choose Between my Children”
“Dealer tells how he hooked kids on horror drug”
Some scenes presented.
Step Two
Students are asked to re-do their improvisation in the Style of Melodrama.
Some scenes presented.
Step Three
Students are asked to re-do their improvisation is the Style of a News Report incorporating narration and re-enactments.
Some scenes presented.
Debrief
How did the style of dramatic presentation alter the treatment of the headline?
What aspects were emphasised in each ‘telling’?
How did your role as ‘audience’ change?
Lesson Two and Three
Aim: Deliver an activity that will engage students own opinions, ignite some thoughtful debate and to introduce some Epic Theatre
techniques in a non-threatening environment.
Relaxation
Focusing session Outline oncoming challenges of the term (e.g. independent assessment), emphasise the need to challenge, inspire and
surprise yourself and others.
Spinal roll
Mill and Seethe Encourage to work as a group to stop and start the action without “forced communication” work on instinct and trust,
allow group to alter the pace and rhythm of the activity.
Class freeze frame
Without discussion the class constructs a series of tableaux in response to the following captions that aim to emotionally engage the
audience:
Family loose all in fire
War protestor arrested outside White House
Rescuers uncover more dead from Katrina
Issue based theatre
Students devise a piece of theatre that gives a political or social message. A side must be taken and a powerful and persuasive message
must be communicated.
Students brainstorm techniques and Styles that can be employed to convey the importance of the issue e.g. statistics, reports,
persuasive speech, Realism, Melodrama/Satire.
Each group is given a different issue to explore:
Abortion
Sex before marriage
Adoption
Divorce
Teenage pregnancy
Scenes presented.
Debrief
Students discuss the content and format of each piece. As a class they discover what ideas were presented with the greatest impact and
identify the dramatic conventions that were used to assist in this process.
Lesson Four
Aim: The lesson aims to provide students with an experience in using techniques that are prominent in Brecht’s Epic Theatre.
The Accident – an adaptation.
Step One
Divide students into groups of 5. Roles allocated to each group are one police officer and five witnesses.
Step Two
The police officer from each group joins together and devise a list of questions to ask witnesses of the accident. Questions could
include:
Where were you when the accident happened? Show me where you were.
What exactly did you see?
What did you say to the victim or to the other witnesses?
During this time each group of witnesses decide on the basic details of the accident:
Where did the accident take place?
What happened?
Who was involved?
Step Three
Individually the witnesses decide the details of their own role and experience:
Who are you?
What were you doing at the time?
What did they see from where they were?
What did you say/do in response?
Version One
The police interview the witnesses. The questioning should direct the witnesses to demonstrate what they saw and to recall what they
said and did. Participants are encouraged to adopt a Naturalistic style when responding and questioning.
Version Two
Each group presents ‘The Accident’ as it actually happened. The police officer is to become the victim. The scene is performed in a
Naturalistic style and the performers should aim to emotionally impact upon the audience.
Debrief
After viewing version 2 the students generate a list of the differences between the two versions of the accident.
Version 1
 The past tense was used
 The witness narrated the incident
 The actor was uninvolved emotionally
 The audience did not become emotionally
involved
 The victim was not there so dramatic impact
lessened
 The action was demonstrated
Version 2
 The audience saw the event
 The actors were engaged both emotionally and
physically in the action
 The audience’s emotions were engaged
 Interaction occurred between the actors’
characters
 The present tense was used
Version 3 (if time permits)
The students are now to believe that they are a group of actors who are going to present “The Accident: to an audience. The accident
occurs in either:
An Australian prison
A Workplace
A Mall
The groups must decide:
 What was the accident?
 Was is an accident?
 Why did this incident/accident occur?
 Who are the people involved?
 What time of day is it?
Each group must identify and highlight a contentious issue that arises from the accident (for example long hours being worked by
employees in poor work conditions resulting in serious accidents) in an original role play.
1.
2.
3.
The role play must begin with a narrator speaking directly to the audience and informing them about the place of the drama and
the basic details of the accident that occurred there. The narrator should then invite the audience to listen to the accounts of
witnesses.
The narrator then changes roles and becomes the police officer. The police officer interviews witnesses who have adopted a
formal, unemotional mode of delivery and stand in a predetermined seating pattern. The witnesses must provide a reason for why
the accident occurred. All information should be directed out to the audience.
The narrator takes a stance on the issue presented.
Version 3 presented.
Debrief
Students add a third column to their observations for the lesson:
Version 3
 Strong focus on an issue
 Narrator presented one point of view
 Use of a narrator to observe action and
report events
 Use of actors taking dual roles
 Objective characterisation – the actors do
not develop emotionally involving
characters
 Use of ritualised or formal
setting/movement
Please note that the activities for this lesson stemmed from “Empowering Students Through the Epic
Form” Christine Hoepper, QADIE Conference Journal (1989) page 27 – 30).
Further information on the model of Epic Theatre and its application in modern play texts can be
found at:
http://grace.evergreen.edu/~arunc/texts/theater/brecht/brecht1.pdf
http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/elf/conf98/epic.html
http://www.tuftsobserver.org/arts/20051015/urinetown_engages_audienc.html
http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com/2005/03/laramie-project.html
Lesson Five, Six and Seven
Aim: To provide students with a detailed overview of the purpose of Epic Theatre and the conventions of the style. Allow students to
recognise to techniques they have already employed within the unit.
PowerPoint
Students are taken through a detailed power point exploring the work of Bertolt Brecht. Students are encouraged to write down notes
during these sessions to develop their understanding and to prepare them for assessment.
The times
1933: Propaganda and Radio
Europe in the early 1930’s was a
cauldron of social and political unrest.
Literature sought not to provide
accurate images but instead provoke
change and encourage thought and
evaluation
Brecht’s Theatre
Brecht’s upbringing
Being a Marxist, having grown up in an
ordinary German family and having seen the
progress of several regimes of European
history, including the ascendance of Adolf
Hitler and the affects of government ideology
In the
many
people
starved to
death,
on 1930s,
people,
Brecht
became
a respected
social
Unemployment
jumped from 1.3 million to 5 million
commentator.
He worked as a medical orderly (WW1) so
escaped the real horrors of the trenches but
was exposed to terribly wounded soldiers – he
never forgot the smell of death brought about
by the futility of war.
Adolf Hitler,Brecht’s
Joseph
Goebbels employ
Epic Theatre is undeniably political;
power of radio
influence
the
his aimto
was
to show the economic,
social and
masses. political reality of men and women so that
people would change it.
– Nazis begin burning of books.
He1000
hoped inCommunists
his plays to show the
utter
– Roundup of
and
rottenness of bourgeois, capitalist society. His
their
from
It ’s all about expulsion
belief was
that Germany
the audience would see that a
change
must replace the old and that
– Suspensionnew
ofsociety
basic
civil rights of
only Marxist society could deliver justice (and
German citizens
in atmosphere
of but
that this social
change was inevitable,
that his task was to help usher it in).
fear
–
Brecht’s Theatre
Brecht attempts to show how ordinary people
can improve their position.
Human behaviour is shown as alterable and,
though dependent on economic and political
factors, capable of changing them.


Purpose of Brecht’s Epic Theatre
The Purpose of Epic Theatre




If you act this way the following will happen but if
you act like that the opposite will happen.
To make the spectator a critical observer who
must make decisions.
To present the world as an object.
To focus on the process, not the outcome of the
play.
To show historical nature of human misfortune, a
changing world, and the manipulation of man and
woman and his/her environment.
Both the narrator and the actors reported
events and were there to arouse the
audience to take action and try to
change the prevailing social conditions.
Brecht’s plays were meant to arouse,
shock and alienate the audience, so that
they would think and
act, toatheatre's
change
He
ofspectator
community
between
and
Theshattered
dramatic
says:
Yes,make
I actors
have felt
Verfremdung
(orsense
Alienation)
means
“to
audience
by interrupting
the action
such It'll
devices
like that too-Just like me--It's
onlywith
natural-neveras
society.
strange.”
Alienation
Continued
EpicAlienation
Theatre
Continued
songs,
addresses
to the of
audience
stylised
change--The
sufferings
this manand
appal
me, acting.
of
alienation
underlies
Brecht’s
a play
by having
mechanically
inescapable--That's
great art;
it all
projected
explaining
themes
ofexplained
the
play
seems theory
thecaptions
mostofobvious
thingthe
in the
world--I
weep
whole
epic
theatre.
Brecht
 Series
ofmeant
disjointed
episodes
–away
remove
builda up of
whenhe
they
weep,itI as
laugh
when
they laugh.
that
taking
from
suspense
character or an event the things that make
 Entire theatre illuminated during the performance
 them
The epic
theatre's
says: I'd never
have
familiar
andspectator
understandable.
The
idea
 Actors wore everyday dress and props were only used to
thought
it -- by
That's
the way and
-- That's
extraordinary,
The Gestus Is Created
atonotsurprise
was
constantly
challenge
the
make
an idea
clear
hardly believable -- It's got to stop -- The sufferings of
audience,
whilst
reminding
them
thatscaffolding)
the play-Combination of the
- (stairs,
Scenery
constructivist
levels,
thisFollowing:
manwas
appal
me, because
they are
unnecessary
they
watching
simply
a-- story,
 Films
and
slides
towas
explain
the
thatbeing
were
That'swere
great
art; used
nothing
obvious
in itevents
I laugh
when
occurring
during
present
told
make
a the
profound
political
they to
weep,
I weep
when
they
laugh. point.
Body rhythms and movement
Stylised make-up and costume
Stylised vocal quality (retaining the natural element)
Particular gesture
Structure of Brecht’s Plays
Manner
Attitude
The
achievement

Preface
scenes
in
because
they are
Gestus
Gestus
The basic attitudes of human beings are
 Pinpoints the features of a character in relation
expressed by what Brecht called Gestus, a
to others and society.
term which does not mean merely ‘gesture’ but
 Gestus shifts emphasis away from the inner life
covers the whole range of the outward signs of
of characters towards the way in which they
social relationships including deportment,
intonation, facial expression. Each scene of a behave towards each other.
 Brecht placed emphasis on the written
play has its own Gestus.
dialogue which would contain the appropriate
 ‘Characteristic gestures’ which sum up a
gestus and almost force the actor to assume
character or a situation or an emotion eg
chewing the lock of hair to symbolise passion the correct stance, movement and tone of
voice.






Music
Design
Whereas
The
Dispense
storyconventionally
iswith
the illusion
point ofand
interest,
(as symbolism
in Wagner)
not the music
characters.
a narcotic,
was
No 'fourth
wall‘reinforcing
emotion, in the Epic
should
provoke
thought,
dispel illusion
theatre
Structured
episodically
- play
not necessarily
in
Minimalit props
and
drive out emotion.
chronological
order/ divided into episodes
in missing link
Lyrics may
be wry prevailed
and humorous, melodies
Socialist
message
may
beparable
jazz-influenced, jerky and unromantic,
Use of
or songs may satirize popular sentiment.
Clear one sided message
'Anti illusive techniques- flash back, missing
time
 Set change in view of audience
 Use of cue cards to reinforce- fill

Lighting

Historification
Didacticism






Brecht displaces the subject matter out of
the present time and into the past and
draws parallels. Whereas in a naturalistic
frame an illusion is created in each
performance by making it seem that the
events are actually occurring and anew.
This moves the spectator to actively
inquire about the movements of the past.
 Instigates questions as to what
our future may hold
The sources of light should be visible at all 
times, as they are, say, in a boxing ring
Uniformly bright;
Effects of colour and dimming are not to be
allowed to avoid creating emotional effects.
Obvious lighting constantly reminds the

audience they are watching a play.
Communism




Often use force to achieve goals
The workers in control
First stage – dictatorship of the proletariat, a
government controlled by workers, that would
work to establish a classless Communist
society. After classes had been eliminated then
everyone would live in peace, prosperity and
freedom.
Involved totalitarianism (a government control
all aspects of people’s lives)




Brecht used his plays as a means of teaching a
very strong message.
He specifically wrote lehrstucke or learning plays
that showed in which the world could be changed.
The learning is sometimes hinted in the title of the
play Eg. “Resistible rise of Arturo Uri”.
What the plays teach is (negatively) the wrongness
of bourgeois social morality and (positively) the
rightness and inevitability of Marxist morality.
 Marxists believed that "collective" solutions to social
 The testing of truth through discussion
problems could only be found through collective
 The individual is the highest being
action (strikes, demonstrations etc) which would
then
toworld
develop
a "collective",
Dominate
through
production,
Thelead
artpeople
ofthe
logical
discussion,
debate and
"communal"
which
is aconsciousness.
collective effort
argument
 To be achieved when the proletariat (working class)
 For
people
truly free,the
revolts
against to
thebe
bourgeoisie
(owners means
of meansof
of
production)
production
must
be
publicly
owned
– by
 Encourages the audience to think
 For
Brecht,
Marxismas
provided
a strong sense of
the
community
a whole
independently
purpose, an optimistic political faith that has
matched his theatrical form
Marxism
Cont’d
Dialectical
Marxism
Video extract (lesson 7)
Show an extract from “Changing Stages between Brecht and Beckett” 2000 PBS series to provide a visual reference for the times and
Style of Brecht’s theatre.
Details of this publication can be found at:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297522/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/changingstages/
Lesson Eight
Aim: To apply knowledge acquired in power point session to a practical example of Epic Theatre. To further students understanding
of the conventions and purpose of Epic theatre and the subsequent impact upon the viewer/audience.
Warm Up – Machines
To continue to explore varying dramatic styles and exploring methods of creating non-naturalistic theatre the students create the
following machines in the style of robotic or dreamlike movement, melodrama or rap:
Spaghetti maker
Woodchopper
Shoemaker
Happiness maker
Video Extract
Students watch the scene of Uncle Tom’s Cabin from the “King and I” and take notes on all techniques and styles incorporated into
the performance. Provide limited time at the scene’s conclusion to allow for more detailed note taking.
Notes taken by students should include the following:
 Play introduced by Narrator
 Precise movement of cast and musicians
 Use of narrator
 Sections labeled e.g. The Escape
 Introduction of characters and geste e.g. unhappy Eliza
 Symbolic gesture e.g. happy or sad
 Scenery moved around to suggest change of place and time e.g. rainstorm
 Simple fake props – rain, mountain, cloud
 Presentational style
 Music and Rhyme
 Precise steps counted out
 Oriental movement and gongs
 Large symbolic props and people as props e.g. gates
 Message
 Actors seen manipulating snow and clouds
 Lack of emotional attachment e.g. sacrifice
 Story of an oppressed girl.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Read aloud an outline of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and discuss the issues that arise from this well known story.
Uncle Tom is the slave of Mr. Shelby, the proprietor of an estate in Kentucky, which has fallen into
disorder. Shelby is in debt and sells two slaves to raise money - Uncle Tom and a young woman named
Eliza (the servant of Mrs. Shelby). Eliza is the wife of George Harris who is a slave upon a neighboring
estate. Uncle Tom is carried off Mr. Shelby’s estate by the new purchaser, one Mr. Haly; but Eliza,
dreading separation from her husband and her subsequent fate, takes flight with her child. She is
relentlessly pursued by a slave hunter.
Uncle Tom is to be freed but is sold to a vicious plantation owner. He refuses to beat another slave and
is therefore beaten severely. Tom encourages two female slaves to escape. Her is beaten to near death
for refusing to say where they had gone. On his deathbed Tom forgives his master and dies a martyr.
George Shelby, Tom’s original master’s son, releases all his slaves in memory of Tom.
Epic Theatre versus Realism
Watch the “King and I” extract again. Fill in sections of the following hand out to organise and identify specific information and to
compare Epic Theatre to Realism (students complete this column for homework).
Techniques
Comparison between King and I / Realism Theatre
The King and I
Realism(imagine if we saw a
(note the specific oriental
real version of this play in a
features which don’t allow the
proscenium arch stage)
audience to really emotionally
engage but think about the
theme)
Plot: Characters
Organisation
Time sequence
How is place manipulated?
How do we move from place to
place?
Is the audience acknowledged?
Acting:
Vocals
Movement (real/stylised)
Gesture: how are emotions
shown
Use of narrator, chorus,
musicians
Theme: what is story about
Where is the emphasis in the
play?
Lesson Nine
Aim: To consolidate student information gathered in previous class. Expose students to short and manageable extracts of Brecht’s
published play scripts.
Homework
Students share responses from homework comparing conventions of Epic Theatre with Realism.
Student responses should identify some of the major ideas listed below:
Dramatic Vs Epic Theatre
Dramatic Theatre
Epic Theatre
Plot
Narrative
Implicates the spectator in a stage situation
Turns the spectator into an observer but
Wears down
arouses his capacity for action
Provides him with sensations
Forces him to take decisions
Experience
Picture of the world
The spectator is involved in something
He is made to face something
Suggestion
Argument
Instinctive feelings are preserved
Brought to the point of recognition
The spectator is in the thick of it, shares the
The spectator stands outside, studies
experience
The human being is taken for granted
The human being is the object of inquiry
He is unalterable
He is alterable and able to alter
Eyes on the finish
Eyes on the course
One scene makes another
Each scene for itself
Linear development
In curves
Evolutionary determinism
Jumps
Man as a fixed point
Man as a process
Thought determines being
Social being determines thought
Feeling
Reason
From Brecht on Brecht, p37
(http://www.usq.edu.au/performancecentre/education/goodwomanofszechwan/dramaticvsepic.htm)
Similar comparative tables can be easily accessed on the internet and from many Drama textbooks.
Oppression today?
Students read article “Life for man who fed worker to Lions” and extract the many issues of the story and compare to the story of
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This activity aims to recognise the worldly nature of the issue and stories explored in Epic Theatre. People from
varying backgrounds and from differing periods in history can learn and engage in this theatre style.
Story can be accessed at: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/life-for-south-african-who-fed-man-tolion/2005/10/01/1127804685149.html
Brecht’s Plays
Students read extracts from four Brecht play scripts. These scripts are to be used later in the unit for the students forming assessment.
The extracts have been selected from:
Mother Courage and her children
Caucasian Chalk Circle
Arturo Ui
The Good Woman of Setzuan
After reading each extract and discussing any issues arising from their reading students are to read one of the four plays in its entirety.
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
EXTRACT NO. 1
The Singer:
When the house of a great one collapses
Many little ones are slain.
Those who had no share in the good fortunes of the mighty
Often have a share in their misfortunes.
The plunging wagon
Drags the sweating oxen down with it
Into the abyss
[Enter the soldier, Simon Shashava. He searches in the crowd for Grusha.]
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha! There you are at last! What are you going to do?
Nothing. If worst comes to worst, I’ve a brother in the mountains. How about you?
Forget about me. [Formally again] Grusha Vashnadze, your wish to know my plans fills me with satisfaction. I’ve
been ordered to accompany Madam Natella Abashwili as her guard.
But hasn’t the Palace Guard mutinied?
[seriously] That’s a fact.
Isn’t it dangerous to go with her?
In Tiflis, they say: Isn’t the stabbing dangerous for the knife?
You’re not a knife, you’re a man, Simon Shashava, what has that woman to do with you?
That woman has nothing to do with me. I have my orders, and I go.
The soldier is pigheaded: he is running into danger for nothing – nothing at all. I must get into the third courtyard,
I’m in a hurry.
Since we’re both in a hurry we shouldn’t quarrel. You need time for a good quarrel. May I ask if the young lady
still has parents?
No, just a brother.
As time is short – my second question is this: Is the young lady as healthy as a fish in water?
I may have a pain in the right shoulder once in a while. Otherwise I’m strong enough for my job. No one has
complained. So far.
That’s well known. When it’s Easter Sunday, and the question arises who’ll run for the goose all the same, she’ll be
the one. My third question is this: Is the young lady impatient? Does she want apples in winter?
Impatient? No. But if a man goes to war without any reason and then no message comes – that’s bad.
A message will come. And now my final question...
Simon Shashava, I must get to the third courtyard at once. My answer is yes.
[very embarrassed] Haste, they say, is the wind that blows down the scaffolding. But they also say: The rich don’t
know what haste is. I’m from...
Kutsk...
The young lady has been inquiring about me? I’m healthy, I have no dependants, I make ten piastres a month, as
paymaster twenty piastres, and I’m asking – very sincerely – for your hand.
Simon Shashava, it suits me well.
[taking from his neck a thin chain with a little cross on it] My mother gave me this cross, Grusha Vashnadze. The
chain is silver. Please wear it.
Many thanks, Simon.
[hangs it round her neck] It would be better to go to the third courtyard now. Or there’ll be difficulties. anyway, I
must harness the horses. The young lady will understand?
Yes, Simon.
[They stand undecided.}
I’ll just take the mistress to the troops that have stayed loyal. When the war’s over, I’ll be back. I’ll be back. In
two weeks. Or three. I hope my intended won’t get tired, awaiting my return.
[Grusha] The Singer:
Simon Shashava, I shall wait for you.
Go calmly into battle, soldier
The bloody battle, the bitter battle
From which not everyone returns:
when you return I shall be there.
I shall be waiting for you under the green elm
I shall be waiting for you under the bare elm
I shall wait until the last soldier has returned
And longer.
When you come back from the battle
No boots will stand at my door
The pillow beside mine will be empty
And my mother will be unkissed.
When you return, when you return
You will be able to say: it is just as it was.
Simon:
I thank you, Grusha Vashnadze. And good-bye! [He bows low before her. She does the same before him. Then she
runs quickly off without looking round.]
SBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL
DRAMA
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
EXTRACT NO. 2
The Singer:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
The Servant:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Seven days the sister, Grusha Vashnadze,
Journeyed across the glacier
And down the slopes she journeyed.
‘When I enter my brother’s house,’ she thought,
‘He will rise and embrace me.’
‘Is that you, sister?’ he will say,
‘I have long expected you.
This is my dear wife,
And this is my farm, come to me by marriage,
With eleven horses and thirty-one cows. Sit down.
Sit down with your child at our table and eat.’
The brother’s house was in a lovely valley.
When the sister came to the brother,
She was ill from walking.
The brother rose from the table.
[A fat peasant couple rise from the table. Lavrenti Vashnadze still has a napkin round his neck, as
Grusha, pale and supported by a servant, enters with the child.]
Where’ve you come from, Grusha?
[feebly] Across the Janga Tau Pass, Lavrenti.
I found her in front of the hay barn. She has a baby with her.
Go and groom the mare. [Exit the Servant]
This is my wife Aniko.
I thought you were in service in Nuka.
[barely able to stand] Yes, I was.
Wasn’t it a good job? We were told it was.
The Governor got killed.
Yes, we heard there were riots. Your aunt told us. Remember, Aniko?
Here with us, it’s very quiet. City people always want something going on. [She walks toward the door,
calling.] Sosso, Sosso, don’t take the cake out of the oven yet, d’you hear? Where on earth are you?
[Exit, calling.}
[quietly, quickly] Is there a father? [As she shakes her heard] I thought not. We must think up something.
She’s religious.
[returning] Those servants! [To Grusha] You have a child.
It’s mine. [She collapses. Lavrenti rushes to her assistance.]
Heavens, she’s ill – what are we going to do?
[escorting her to a bench near the stove] Sit down, sit. I think it’s just weakness, Aniko.
As long as it’s not scarlet fever!
She’d have spots if it was. It’s only weakness. Don’t worry, Aniko. [To Grusha] Better, sitting down?
Is the child hers?
Yes, mine.
She’s on her way to her husband.
I see. Your meat’s getting cold. [Lavrenti sits down and begins to eat.] Cold food’s not good for you, the
fat mustn’t get cold, you know your stomach’s your weak spot. [To Grusha] If your husband’s not in the
city, where is he?
She got married on the other side of the mountain, she says.
On the other side of the mountain. I see. [She also sits down to eat.]
I think I should lie down somewhere, Lavrenti.
If it’s consumption, we’ll all get it. [She goes on cross-examining her.] Has your husband got a farm?
He’s a soldier.
But he’s coming into a farm – a small one – from his father.
Isn’t he in the war? Why not?
[with effort] Yes, he’s in the war.
Then why d’you want to go to the farm?
When he comes back from the war, he’ll return to his farm.
But you’re going there now?
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
The Sister-in-Law:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
The Sister-in-Law:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
The Singer:
Yes, to wait for him.
[calling shrilly] Sosso, the cake!
[murmuring feverishly] A farm – a soldier – waiting – sit down, eat.
It’s scarlet fever.
[starting up] Yes, he’s got a farm!
I think it’s just weakness, Aniko. Would you look after the cake yourself, dear?
But when will he come back if war’s broken out again as people say? [She waddles off, shouting] Sosso!
Where on earth are you? Sosso!
[getting up quickly and going to Grusha] You’ll get a bed in a minute. She has a good heart. But wait till
after supper.
[holding out the child to him] Take him.
[taking it and looking around] But you can’t stay here long with the child. She’s religious, you see.
[Grusha collapses. Lavrenti catches her.]
The sister was so ill,
The cowardly brother had to give her shelter.
Summer departed, winter came.
The winter was long, the winter was short
People mustn’t know anything,
Rats mustn’t bite,
Spring mustn’t come.
[Grusha sits over the weaving loom in a workroom. She and the child, who is squatting on the
floor, are wrapped in blankets. She sings.]
BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL DRAMA
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
EXTRACT NO. 3
The Singer:
The Peasant:
The Mother-In-Law:
Grusha:
The Peasant:
Grusha:
The Peasant:
The Mother-in-Law:
Grusha:
The Peasant:
Gusha:
The Peasant:
The Peasant:
The Mother-in-Law:
The Peasant:
Grusha:
The Peasant:
Grusha:
The Peasant:
Grusha:
The Peasant:
O confusion! The wife discovers she has a husband.
By day there’s the child, by night there’s the husband.
The lover is on his way both day and night.
Husband and wife look at each other.
The bedroom is small.
[Near the bed the Peasant is sitting in a high wooden bath-tub, naked, the Mother-in-Law is pouring water
from a pitcher. Opposite Grusha cowers with Michael, who is playing at mending straw mats.]
[to his Mother] That’s her work, not yours. Where’s she hiding out now?
[calling] Grusha! The peasant wants you!
[to Michael] There are still two holes to mend.
[when Grusha approaches] Scrub my back!
Can’t the peasant do it himself?
‘Can’t the peasant do it himself?’ Get the brush! To hell with you! Are you the wife here? Or are you a
visitor? To the Mother-in-Law] It’s too cold!
I’ll run for hot water.
Let me go.
You stay here. [The Mother-in-Law exits.] Rub harder. And no shirking. You’ve seen a naked fellow
before. That child didn’t come out of thin air.
The child was not conceived in joy, if that’s what the peasant means.
[turning and grinning] You don’t look the type. [Grusha stops scrubbing him, starts back. Enter the
Mother-in-Law.]
A nice thing you’ve saddled me with! A simpleton for a wife!
She just isn’t cooperative.
Pour – but go easy! Ow! Go easy, I said. [To Grusha] Maybe you did something wrong in the city ... I
wouldn’t be surprised. Why else should you be here? But I won’t talk about that. I’ve not said a word
about the illegitimate object you brought into my house either. But my patience has limits! It’s against
nature. [To the Mother-in-Law] More! [To Grusha] And even if your soldier does come back, you’re
married.
Yes.
But your soldier won’t come back. Don’t you believe it.
No.
You’re cheating me. You’re my wife and you’re not my wife. Where you lie, nothing lies, and yet no
other woman can lie there. When I go to work in the morning I’m tired – when I lie down at night I’m
awake as the devil. God has given you sex – and what d’you do? I don’t have ten piastres to buy myself a
woman in the city. Besides, it’s a long way. Woman weeds the fields and opens up her legs, that’s what
our calendar says. D’you hear?
[quietly] Yes. I didn’t mean to cheat you out of it.
She didn’t mean to cheat me out of it! Pour some more water! [The Mother-in-Law pours.] Ow!
BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL DRAMA
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
EXTRACT NO. 4
The Singer:
The sister was so ill,
The cowardly brother had to give her shelter.
Summer departed, winter came.
The winter was long, the winter was short
People mustn’t know anything,
Rats mustn’t bite,
Spring mustn’t come.
[Grusha sits over the weaving loom in a workroom. She and the child, who is squatting on the
floor, are wrapped in blankets. She sings.]
The Song of the Centre
And the lover started to leave
And his betrothed ran pleading after him
Pleading and weeping, weeping and teaching:
‘Dearest mine, dearest mine
When you go to war as now you do
When you fight the foe as soon you will
Don’t lead with the front line
And don’t push with the rear line
At the front is red fire
In the rear is red smoke
Stay in the war’s centre
Stay near the standard bearer
The first always die
The last are also hit
Those in the centre come home.’
Grusha:
Michael, we must be clever. If we make ourselves as small as cockroaches, the sister-in-law will forget
we’re in the house, and then we can stay till the snow melts.
[Enter Lavrenti. He sits down beside his sister.]
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Why are you sitting there muffled up like coachmen, you two? Is it too cold in the room?
[hastily removing one shawl] It’s not too cold, Lavrenti.
If it’s too cold, you shouldn’t be sitting here with the child. Aniko would never forgive herself! [Pause] I
hope our priest didn’t question you about the child?
He did, but I didn’t tell him anything.
That’s good. I wanted to speak to you about Aniko. She has a good heart but she’s very, very sensitive.
People need only mention our farm and she’s worried. She takes everything hard, you see. One time our
milkmaid went to church with a hole in her stocking. Ever since, Aniko has worn two pairs of stockings in
church. It’s the old family in her. [He listens] Are you sure there are no rats around? If there are rats, you
couldn’t live here. ]There are sounds as of dripping from the roof.] What’s that, dripping?
It must be a barrel leaking.
Yes, it must be a barrel. You’ve been here six months, haven’t you? Was I talking about Aniko? [They
listen again to the snow melting.] You can’t imagine how worried she gets about your solder-husband.
‘Suppose he comes back and can’t find her!’ she says and lies awake. ‘He can’t come before the spring,’ I
tell her. The dear woman! [The drops begin to fall faster.] When d’you think he’ll come? What do you
think? [Grusha is silent.] Not before the spring, you agree? [Grusha is silent.] You don’t believe he’ll
come at all? [Grusha is silent] But when the spring comes and the snow melts here and on the passes, you
can’t stay on. They may come and look for you. There’s already talk of an illegitimate child. [The
‘glockenspiel’ of the falling drops has grown faster and steadier.] Grusha, the snow is melting on the roof.
Spring is here.
Yes.
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
Lavrenti:
Grusha:
[eagerly] I’ll tell you what we’ll do. You need a place to go, and, because of the child [he sighs], you
have to have a husband, so people won’t talk. Now I’ve made cautious inquiries to see if we can find you a
husband. Grusha, I have one. I talked to a peasant woman who has a son. Just the other side of the
mountain. A small farm. And she’s willing.
But I can’t marry! I must wait for Simon Shashava.
Of course. That’s all been taken care of. You don’t need a man in bed – you need a man on paper. And
I’ve found you one. The son of this peasant woman is going to die. Isn’t that wonderful? He’s at his last
gasp. And all in line with our story – a husband from the other side of the mountain! And when you met
him he was at the last gasp. So you’re a widow. What do you say?
It’s true I could use a document with stamps on it for Michael.
Stamps make all the difference. Without something in writing the Shah couldn’t prove he’s a Shah. And
you’ll have a place to live.
How much does the peasant woman want?
Four hundred piastres.
Where will you find it?
[guiltily] Aniko’s milk money.
No one would know us there. I’ll do it.
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
EXTRACT NO. 5
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
The Singer:
Simon:
Grusha:
Simon:
The Singer:
Simon!
Is that Grusha Vashnadze?
Simon.
[formally] A good morning to the young lady. I hope she is well.
[getting up gaily and bowing low] A good morning to the soldier. God be thanked he has returned in good
health.
They found better fish, so they didn’t eat me, said the haddock.
Courage, said the kitchen boy. Good luck, said the hero.
How are things here? Was the winter bearable? The neighbour considerate?
The winter was a trifle rough, the neighbour as usual, Simon.
May one ask if a certain person still dips her toes in the water when rinsing the linen?
The answer is no. Because of the eyes in the bushes.
The young lady is speaking of soldiers. Here stands a paymaster.
A job worth twenty piastres?
And lodgings.
[with tears in her eyes] Behind the barracks under the date trees.
Yes, there. A certain person has kept her eyes open.
She has, Simon.
And has not forgotten? [Grusha shakes her head.] So the door is still on its hinges as they say? [Grusha
looks at him in silence and shakes her head again.] What’s this? Is anything not as it should be?
Simon Shashava, I can never return to Nuka. Something has happened.
What can have happened?
For one thing, I knocked an Ironshirt down.
Grusha Vashnadze must have had her reasons for that.
Simon Shashava, I am no longer called what I used to be called/
[after a pause] I do not understand.
When do women change their names, Simon? Let me explain. Nothing stands between us. Everything is
just as it was. You must believe that.
Nothing stands between us and yet there’s something?
How can I explain it so fast and with the stream between us? Couldn’t you cross the bridge there?
Maybe it’s no longer necessary.
It is very necessary. Come over on this side, Simon. Quick!
Does the young lady wish to say someone has come too late?
[Grusha looks up at him in despair, her face streaming with tears. Simon stares before him. He
picks up a piece of wood and starts cutting it.]
So many words are said, so many left unsaid.
The soldier has come.
Where he comes from, he does not say,
Hear what he thought and did not say:
‘The battle began, grey at dawn, grew bloody at noon.
The first man fell in front of men, the second behind me, the third at my side.
I trod on the first, left the second behind, the third was
run through by the captain.
One of my brothers died by steel, the other by smoke.
My neck caught fire, my hands froze in my gloves, my toes
in my socks.
I fed on aspen buds, I drank maple juice, I slept on stone,
in water.’
I see a cap in the grass. Is there a little one already?
There is, Simon. There’s no keeping that from you. But please don’t worry, it is not mine.
When the wind once starts to blow, they say, it blows through every cranny. the wife need say no more.
[Grusha looks into her lap and is silent.]
There was yearning but there was no waiting.
The oath is broken. Neither could say why.
Hear what she thought but did not say:
‘While you fought in the battle, soldier,
Simon:
Grusha:
The bloody battle, the bitter battle
I found a helpless infant
I had not the heart to destroy him
I had to care for a creature that was lost
I had to stoop for breadcrumbs on the floor
I had to break myself for that which was not mine
That which was other people’s.
Someone must help!
For the little tree needs water
The lamb loses its way when the shepherd is asleep
And its cry is unheard!’
Give me back the cross I gave you. Better still, throw it in the stream. [He turns to go.]
[getting up] Simon Shashava, don’t go away! He isn’t mine! He isn’t mine!
THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN:
TRACT NO. 1
Extract No. 1
Wong
Shen Te
Wong
Shen Te
Wong
Shen Te
Wong
Shen Te
Wong
First God
Wong
Third God
First God
Wong
Third God
Wong
Third God
Wong
Third God
Shen Te
Third God
Shen Te
First God
Third God
First God
Shen Te
First God
Third God
Shen Te
First God
Third God
First God
Third God
Shen Te
First God
Third God
First God
Third God
[Pause] There’s only one person left. Shen Te, the prostitute. She can’t say no. Shen
Te! Shen Te, it’s Wong. They’re here, and nobody wants them. Will you take them?
Oh, no, Wong, I’m expecting a gentleman.
Can’t you forget about him for tonight?
The rent has to be paid by tomorrow or I’ll be out on the street.
This is no time for calculation, Shen Te.
Stomachs rumble even on the Emperor’s birthday, Wong.
Setzuan is one big dung hill!
Oh, very well! I’ll hide till my gentleman has come and gone. Then I’ll take them.
[She disappears.]
They mustn’t see her gentleman or they’ll know what she is.
[who hasn’t heard any of this] I think it’s hopeless. [They approach Wong.]
[jumping, as he finds them behind him] A room has been found, illustrious ones! [He
wipes sweat off his brow.]
Oh, good.
Let’s see it.
[nervously] Just a minute. It has to be tidied up a bit.
Then we’ll sit down here and wait.
[still more nervous] No, no! [Holding himself back] Too much traffic, you know.
[with a smile] Of course, if you want us to move. [They retire a little.]
[after a deep breath] You’ll be staying with a single girl – the finest human being in
Setzuan!
That’s nice. [Wong exits]
Shen Te returns, looking for him, but finding the Gods. She stops in confusion.]
You are the illustrious ones? My name is Shen Te. It would please me very much if
my simple room could be of use to you.
Where is the water seller, Miss…Shen Te?
I missed him, somehow.
Oh, he probably thought you weren’t coming, and was afraid of telling us.
We’ll leave this with you. He’ll be needing it. [Led by Shen Te, they go into the
house. It grows dark, then light. Dawn. Again escorted by Shen Te, who leads them
through the half-light with a little lamp, the Gods take their leave.]
Thank you, thank you, dear Shen Te, for your elegant hospitality! We shall not forget!
And give our thanks to the water seller – he showed us a good human being.
Oh, I’m not good. Let me tell you something: when Wong asked me to put you up, I
hesitated.
It’s all right to hesitate if you then go ahead! And in giving us that room you did much
more than you knew. You proved that good people still exist, a point that has been
disputed of late – even in heaven. Farewell!
Farewell!
Stop, illustrious ones! I’m not sure you’re right. I’d like to be good, it’s true, but
there’s the rent to pay. And that’s not all: I sell myself for a living. Even so I can’t
make ends meet, there’s too much competition. I’d like to honour my father and
mother and speak nothing but the truth and not covet my neighbour’s house. I should
love to stay with one man. But how? How is it done? Even breaking a few of your
commandments, I can hardly manage.
[clearing his throat] These thoughts are but, um, the misgivings of an unusually good
woman!
Good-bye, Shen Te! Give our regards to the water seller!
And above all: be good! Farewell!
Farewell!
Farewell! [They start to wave good-bye.]
But everything is so expensive, I don’t feel sure I can do it!
That’s not in our sphere. We never meddle with economics.
One moment. [They stop.] Isn’t it true she might do better if she had more money?
Come, come! How could we ever account for it Up Above?
Oh, there are ways. [They put their heads together and confer in dumb show. To Shen
Te, with embarrassment] As you say you can’t pay your rent, well, um, we’re not
paupers, so of course we insist on paying for our room. [Awkwardly thrusting money
First God
into her hands] There! [Quickly] But don’t tell anyone! The incident is open to
misinterpretation.
[defensively] But there’s no law against it! It was never decreed that a god mustn’t
pay hotel bills!
[The Gods leave.]
THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN:
Extract No. 2
A small Tobacconist’s
The shop is not yet properly installed, and not yet open.
Shen Teh
[To the audience.] It is now three days since the gods left. They told me they wanted
to pay for their lodging. And when I looked at what they had given me I saw that it
was more than a thousand silver dollars. I have used the money to buy a tobacconist’s
business. I moved in here yesterday, and now I hope to be able to do a great deal of
good. Look at Mrs Shin, for instance, the old owner of the shop. Yesterday she came
to ask for rice for her children. And today I again see her bringing her pot across the
square.
[Enter Mrs Shin. The women bow to one another.]
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
The Woman
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
The Man
The Unemployed Man
Shen Teh
The Unemployed Man
The Woman
The Unemployed Man
Shen Teh
Goody evening, Mrs Shin.
Good evening, Miss Shen Teh. What do you think of your new home?
I like it. How did the children spend the night?
Oh, in someone’s house, if you can call that shack a house. The baby’s started
coughing.
That’s bad.
You don’t know what’s bad. You’ve got it good. But you’ll find plenty to learn in a
dump like this. The whole district’s a slum.
That is right what you told me, though? That the cement workers call in here at
midday?
But not a customer otherwise, not even the locals.
You didn’t tell me that when you sold me the business.
That’s right: throw it in my face. First you take the roof away over the children’s
heads, and then it’s nothing but complaints.
[quickly] I’ll get your rice.
I was going to ask you if you could lend me some money.
[as she pours rice into her bowl]. I can’t do that. I haven’t sold anything yet.
But I need it. What am I to live on? You’ve taken everything I’ve got. Now you’re
cutting my throat. I’ll leave my children on your door-step, you bloodsucker!
[She snatches the pot from her hands]
Don’t be so bad-tempered. You’ll spill your rice.
[Enter an elderly couple and a shabbily dressed man.]
Ah, Shen Teh, my dear, we heard you were doing so nicely now. Why, you’ve set up
in business! Just fancy, we’re without a home. Our tobacconist’s shop has folded up.
We wondered if we mightn’t spend a night with you.
Who’s this lot?
When I arrived here from the country they were my first landlords. [To the audience:]
When my small funds ran out they threw me on the street. They are probably
frightened that I will say no. They are poor.
They have no shelter.
They have no friends.
They need someone.
How can they be refused?
[Addressing the woman in a friendly voice:] Welcome to you, I will gladly give you
lodging. But all I have is a tiny room at the back of the shop.
That’ll do us. Don’t you worry. While Shen Teh fetches them tea: We’d better move
in behind here, so as not to be in your way. I suppose you picked on a tobacconist’s to
remind you of your first home? We’ll be able to give you one or two tips.
[Enter a tattered man.]
Excuse me, miss, I’m out of a job.
[Mrs Shin laughs.]
What can I do for you?
They say you’re opening up tomorrow. I thought people sometimes find things in bad
condition when they unpack them. Can you spare a fag?
What cheek, begging for tobacco. “Tisn’t as if it had been bread.
Bread’s expensive. A few puffs at a fag and I’m a new man. I’m so done in.
[gives him cigarettes] That’s very important, being a new man. I shall open up with
The Woman
Mrs Shin
The Man
Shen Teh
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
The Woman
The Man
Mrs Shin
Shen Teh
The Woman
Shen Teh
you, you’ll bring me luck.
[The unemployed man hastily lights a cigarette, inhales and goes off coughing.]
Was that wise, my dear?
If that’s how you open up you’ll be closing down before three days are out.
I bet he had money on him all right.
But he said he hadn’t anything.
How do you know he wasn’t having you on?
[worked up] How do I know he was having me on?
[shaking her head] She can’t say no. You’re too good, Shen Teh. If you want to hang
on to your shop you’d better be able to refuse sometimes.
Say it isn’t yours. Say it belongs to a relation and he insists on strict accounts. Why
not try it?
Anyone would who didn’t always want to play Lady Bountiful.
[laughs] Grumble away. The room won’t be available and the rice goes
back in the sack.
[shocked] Is the rice yours too?
[to the audience]
They are bad.
They are no man’s friend.
They grudge even a bowl of rice.
They need it all themselves.
How can they be blamed?
THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZUAN:
Extract No. 3
The Tobacconist’s
Mrs Shin
Sun’s voice
Mrs Shin’s voice
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
[Shui Ta sits behind the counter and reads the paper. He takes no notice of Mrs Shin,
who is cleaning the place and talking.]
A small business like this soon goes downhill, believe me, once certain rumours get
around locally.
[Getting no answer, she leaves with her bucket.]
[from outside] Is this Miss Shen Teh's shop?
Yes. But her cousin’s there today.
[Shui Ta runs to a mirror, with Shen Teh's light steps, and is just beginning to arrange
his hair when he realises his mistake. He turns away with a soft laugh. Enter Yang
Sun. Behind him appears the inquisitive Mrs Shin. She goes past him into the back of
the shop].
I am Yang Sun. [Shui Ta bows]. Is Shen Teh in?
No, she is not in.
But I expect you’re in the picture about me and her? [He begins to take stock of the
shop.] A real shop, large as life. I always thought she was putting it on a bit. [He
examines the boxes and china pots with satisfaction.] Oh, boy, I’m going to be flying
again. [He helps himself to a cigar, and Shui Ta gives him a light.] Do you think we
can squeeze another 300 dollars out of the business?
May I ask: is it your intention to proceed to an immediate sale?
Why? Have we got the 300 in cash? [Shui Ta shakes his head.] It was good of her to
produce the 200 at once. But I’ve got to have the other 300 or I’m stuck.
Perhaps she was a bit hasty in offering you the money. It may cost her her business.
They say, haste is the wind that blew the house down.
I need it now or not at all. And the girl’s not one to hesitate when it’s a question of
giving. Between ourselves, she hasn’t hesitated much so far.
Really?
All to her credit, of course.
May I ask how the 500 dollars will be used?
Why not? As you seem to be checking up on me. The airport superintendent in Pekin
is a friend of mine from flying school, and he can get me the job if I cough up 500
silver dollars.
Isn’t that an unusually large sum?
No. He has got to prove negligence against a highly conscientious pilot with a large
family. You get me? That’s between us, by the way, and there’s no need for Shen Teh
to know.
Perhaps not. One point though: won’t the superintendent be selling you up the river a
month later?
Not me. No negligence with me. I’ve been long enough without a job.
[nods]. It is the hungry dog who pulls the cart home quickest. [He studies him for a
moment or two]. That’s a very big responsibility. You are asking my cousin, Mr Yang
Sun, to give up her small property and all her friends in this town, and to place herself
entirely in your hands. I take it is your intention is to marry Shen Teh.
I’d be prepared to.
Then wouldn’t it be a pity to let the business go for a few silver dollars? You won’t
get much for a quick sale. The 200 silver dollars that you’ve already got would
guarantee the rent for six months. Do you not feel at all tempted to carry on the
tobacconist’s business?
What, me? Have people see Yang Sun the pilot serving behind a counter? ‘Good
morning, sir; do you prefer Turkish or Virginia?’ That’s no career for Yang Suns, not
in the twentieth century!
And is flying a career, may I ask?
[Takes a letter from his pocket] They’re paying me 250 silver dollars a month, sir.
Here is the letter; see for yourself. Look at the stamp, postmarked Pekin.
250 silver dollars? That is a lot.
Do you think I’d fly for nothing?
It sounds like a good job. Mr Yang Sun, my cousin has asked me to help you get this
pilot’s job which means so much to you. Looking at it from her point of view I see no
Mrs Mi Tzu
Shui Ta
Mrs Mi Tzu
Sun
Shui Ta
Mrs Mi Tzu
Shui Ta
Mrs Mi Tzu
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Mrs Mi Tzu
Sun
Shui Ta
Sun
Mrs MI Tzu
insuperable objection to her following the bidding of her heart. She is fully entitled to
share in the delights of love. I am prepared to realise everything here. Here comes
Mrs Mi Tzu, the landlady; I will ask her advice about the sale.
[enters] Good morning, Mr Shui Ta. I suppose it’s about your rent that’s due the day
after tomorrow?
Mrs Mi Tzu, circumstances have arisen which make it doubtful whether my cousin will
carry on with the business. She is contemplating marriage, and her future husband [he
introduces Yang Sun] Mr Yang Sun, is taking her to Pekin where they wish to start a
new life. If I can get a good price for my tobacco I shall sell it.
How much do you need?
300 in cash.
[quickly] No, no. 500!
[to Sun] Perhaps I can help you out. How much did your stock cost?
My cousin originally paid 1000 silver dollars, and very little of it has been sold.
1000 silver dollars! She was swindled, of course. I’ll make you an offer: you can
have 300 silver dollars for the whole business, if you move out the day after tomorrow.
All right. That’s it, old boy!
It’s too little!
It’s enough!
I must have at least 500.
What for?
May I just discuss something with my cousin’s fiancé? [Aside to Sun] All this stock
of tobacco is pledged to two old people against the 200 silver dollars which you got
yesterday.
[Slowly] Is there anything about it in writing?
No.
[To Mrs Mi Tzu after a short pause] 300 will do us.
But I have to be sure that the business has no outstanding debts.
You answer.
The business has no outstanding debts.
How soon can we have the 300?
The day after tomorrow, and you had better think it over. Put the sale off for a month
and you will get more. I can offer you 300, and that’s only because I’m glad to help
where it seems to be a case of young love. [Exit.]
MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN
EXTRACT NO. 1
MOTHER COURAGE: You left you hat here.
YVETTE: Anyone wants it can have it.
MOTHER COURAGE: Let that be a lesson, Kattrin. Don’t you start anything with them soldiers. Love makes the world go round, I’m
warning you. Even with fellows not in the army it’s no bed of roses. He says he’d like to kiss the ground your feet walk on –
reminds me, did you wash them yesterday? – and after that you’re his skivvy. Be thankful you’re dumb, then you can’t
contradict yourself and won’t be wanting to bite your tongue off for speaking the truth; it’s a godsend, being dumb is. And here
comes the general’s cook, now what’s he after?
Enter the cook and the chaplain.
THE CHAPLAIN: I have a message for you from your son Eilif, and the cook has come along because you made such a profound
impression on him.
THE COOK: I just came along to get a bit of air.
MOTHER COURAGE: That you can always do here if you behave yourself, and if you don’t I can deal with you. What does he want? I
got no spare cash.
THE CHAPLAIN: Actually I had a message for his brother the paymaster.
MOTHER COURAGE: He ain’t here now nor anywhere else neither. He ain’t his brother’s paymaster. He’s not to lead him into
temptation nor be clever at his expense. Giving him money from the purse slung round her: Give him this, it’s a sin, he’s
banking on mother’s love and ought to be ashamed of himself.
THE COOK: Not for long, he’ll have to be moving off with the regiment, might be to his death. Give him a bit extra, you’ll be sorry
later. You women are tough, then later on you’re sorry. A little glass of brandy wouldn’t have been a problem, but it wasn’t
offered and, who knows, a bloke may lie beneath the green sod and none of you people will ever be able to dig him up again.
THE CHAPLAIN: Don’t give way to your feelings, cook. To fall in battle is a blessing, not an inconvenience, and why? It is a war of
faith. None of your common wars but a special one, fought for the faith and therefore pleasing to God.
THE COOK: Very true. It’s a war all right in one sense, what with requisitioning, murder and looting and the odd bit of rape thrown in,
but different from all the other wars because it’s a war of faith; stands to reason. But it’s thirsty work at that, you must admit.
THE CHAPLAIN to Mother Courage, indicating the Cook: I tried to stop him, but he says he’s taken a shine to you, you figure in his
dreams.
THE COOK lighting a stumpy pipe: Just want a glass of brandy from a fair hand, what harm in that? Only I’m groggy already cause
the chaplain here’s been telling such jokes all the way along you bet I’m still blushing.
MOTHER COURAGE: Him a Clergyman too. I’d best give the pair of you a drink or you’ll start making me immoral suggestions cause
you’ve nowt else to do.
THE CHAPLAIN: Behold a temptation, said the court preacher, and fell. Turning back to look at Kattrin as he leaves: And who is this
entrancing you person?
MOTHER COURAGE: That ain’t an entrancing but a decent young person. The chaplain and the cook go behind the cart with Mother
Courage. Kattrin looks after them, then walks away from her washing towards the hat. She picks it up and sits down, pulling
the red boots towards her. Mother Courage can be heard in the background talking politics with the chaplain and the cook.
MOTHER COURAGE: Those Poles here in Poland had no business sticking their noses in. Right, our king moved in on them, horse and
foot, but did they keep the peace? No, went and stuck their noses into their own affairs, they did, and fell on king just as he was
quietly clearing off. They committed a breach of peace, that’s what, so blood’s on their own head.
THE CHAPLAIN: All our king minded about was freedom. The emperor had made slaves of them all, Poles and Germans alike, and the
king had to liberate them.
THE COOK: Just what I say, your brandy’s first rate, I weren’t mistaken in your face, but talk of the king, it cost the king dear trying to
give freedom to Germany, what with giving Sweden the salt tax, what cost the poor folk a bit, so I’ve heard, on top of which he
had to have the Germans locked up and drawn and quartered cause they wanted to carry on slaving for the emperor. Course the
king took a serious view when anybody didn’t want to be free. He set out by just trying to protect Poland against bad people,
particularly the emperor, then it started to become a habit till he ended up protecting the whole of Germany. They didn’t half
kick. So the poor old king’s had nowt but trouble for all his kindness and expenses, and that’s something he had to make up for
by taxes of course, which caused bad blood, not that he’d let a little matter like that depress him. One thing he had on his side,
God’s word, that was a help. Because otherwise folk would of been saying he done it all for himself and to make a bit on the
side. So he’s always had a good conscience, which was the main point.
MOTHER COURAGE: Anyone can see you’re no Swede or you wouldn’t be talking that way about the Hero King.
THE CHAPLAIN: After all he provides the bread you eat.
THE COOK: I don’t eat it, I bake it.
MOTHER COURAGE: They’ll never beat him, and why, his men got faith in him. Seriously: To go by what the big shots say, they’re
waging war for almighty God and in the name of everything that’s good and lovely. But look closer, they ain’t so silly, they’re
waging it for what they can get. Else little folk like me wouldn’t be in it at all.
THE COOK: That’s the way it is.
THE CHAPLAIN: As a Dutchman you’d do better to glance at the flag above your head before venting your opinions here in Poland.
MOTHER COURAGE: All good Lutherans here. Prosit!
MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN
EXTRACT NO. 2
A morning three days later. The cannon has gone. Mother Courage, Kattrin, the Chaplain and Swiss Cheese
are sitting gloomily over a meal.
SWISS CHEESE: That’s three days I been sitting around with nowt to do, and sergeant’s always been kind to me but any moment now
he’ll start asking where’s Swiss Cheese with the pay box?
MOTHER COURAGE: You thank your stars they ain’t after you.
THE CHAPLAIN: What can I say? I can’t even hold a service here, it might make trouble for me. Whosoever hath a full heart, his
tongue runneth over, it says, but heaven help me if mine starts running over.
MOTHER COURAGE: That’s how it goes. Here they sit, one with his faith and the other with his cash box. Dunno which is more
dangerous.
THE CHAPLAIN: We are all of us in God’s hands.
MOTHER COURAGE: Oh, I don’t think it’s as bad as that yet, though I must say I can’t sleep nights. If it weren’t for you, Swiss
Cheese, things’d be easier. I think I got meself cleared. I told ‘em I didn’t hold with Antichrist, the Swedish one with horns on,
and I’d observed left horn was a bit unserviceable. Half way through their interrogation I asked where I could get church
candles not too dear. I knows the lingo cause Swiss Cheese’s dad were Catholic, often used to make jokes about it, he did.
They didn’t believe me all that much, but they ain’t got no regimental canteen lady. So they’re winking an eye. Could turn out
for the best, you know. We’re prisoners, but same like fleas on dog.
THE CHAPLAIN: That’s good milk. But we’ll need to cut down our Swedish appetites a bit. After all, we’ve been defeated.
MOTHER COURAGE: Who’s been defeated? Look, victory and defeat ain’t bound to be same for the big shots up top as for them
below, not by no means. Can be times the bottom lot find a defeat really pays them. Honour’s lost, nowt else. I remember
once up in Livonia our general took such a beating from enemy I got a horse off our baggage train in the confusion, pulled me
cart seven months, he did, before we won and they checked up. As a rule you can say victory and defeat both come expensive
to us ordinary folk. Best thing for us is when politics get bogged down solid. To Swiss Cheese: Eat up.
SWISS CHEESE: Got no appetite for it. What’s sergeant to do when pay day comes round?
MOTHER COURAGE: They don’t have pay days on a retreat.
SWISS CHEESE: It’s their right, though. They needn’t retreat if they don’t get paid. Needn’t stir a foot.
MOTHER COURAGE: Swiss Cheese, you’re that conscientious it makes me quite nervous. I brought you up to be honest, you not being
clever, but you got to know where to stop. Chaplain and me, we’re off now to buy Catholic flag and some meat. Dunno
anyone so good at sniffing meat, like sleepwalking it is, straight to target. I’d say he can pick out a good piece by the way his
mouth starts watering. Well, thank goodness they’re letting me go on trading. You don’t ask tradespeople their faith but their
prices. And Lutheran trousers keep cold out too.
THE CHAPLAIN: What did the mendicant say when he heard the Lutherans were going to turn everything in town and country topsyturvy? ‘They’ll always need beggars’. Mother Courage disappears into the cart. So she’s still worried about the cash box. So
far they’ve taken us all for granted as part of the cart, but how long for?
SWISS CHEESE: I can get rid of it.
THE CHAPLAIN: That’s almost more dangerous. Suppose you’re seen. They have spies. Yesterday a fellow popped up out of the
ditch in front of me just as I was relieving myself first thing. I was so scared I only just suppressed an ejaculatory prayer. That
would have given me away all right. I think what they’d like best is to go sniffing people’s excrement to see if they’re
Protestants. The spy was a little runt with a patch over one eye.
MOTHER COURAGE clambering out of the cart with a basket: What have I found, you shameless creature? She holds up the red boots
in triumph. Yvette’s red high-heeled boots! Coolly went and pinched them, she did. Cause you put it in her heard she was an
enchanting young person. She lays them in the basket. I’m giving them back. Stealing Yvette’s boots! She’s wrecking herself
for money. That’s understandable. But you’d do it for nothing, for pleasure. What did I tell you: you’re to wait till it’s peace.
No soldiers for you. You’re not to start exhibiting yourself till it’s peacetime.
THE CHAPLAIN: I don’t find she exhibits herself.
MOTHER COURAGE: Too much for my liking. Let her be like a stone in Dalecarlia, where there’s nowt else, so folk say ‘Can’t see
that cripple’, that’s how I lief have her. Then nowt’ll happen to her. to Swiss Cheese: You leave that box where it is, d’you
hear? And keep an eye on your sister, she needs it. The pair of you’ll have me in grave yet. Sooner be minding a bagful of
fleas.
She leaves with the Chaplain. Kattrin clears away the dishes.
SWISS CHEESE: Won’t be able to sit out in the sun in shirt-sleeves much longer. Kattrin points at a tree. Aye, leaves turning yellow.
Kattrin asks by gestures if he wants a drink. Don’t want no drink. I’m thinking. Pause. Said she can’t sleep. Best if I got rid
of that box, found a good place for it. All right, let’s have a glass. Kattrin goes behind the cart. I’ll stuff it down the rat-hole
by the river for the time being. Probably pick it up tonight before first light and take it to Regiment. How far can they have
retreated in three days? Bet sergeant’s surprised. I’m agreeably disappointed in you, Swiss Cheese, he’ll say. I make you
responsible for the cash, and you go and bring it back.
As Kattrin emerges from behind the cart with a full glass in her hand, two men confront her. One is a sergeant, the other doffs
his hat to her. He has a patch over one eye.
THE MAN WITH THE PATCH: God be with you, mistress. Have you seen anyone round here from Second Finnish Regimental
Headquarters?
Kattrin, badly frightened, runs downstage, spilling the brandy. The two men look at one another, then withdraw on seeing
Swiss Cheese sitting there.
SWISS CHEESE interrupted in his thoughts: You spilt half of it. What are those faces for? Jabbed yourself in eye? I don’t get it. And
I’ll have have to be off, I’ve thought it over, it’s the only way. He gets up. She does everything possible to make him realise
the danger. He only shrugs her off. Wish I knew what you’re trying to say. Sure you mean well, poor creature, just can’t get
words out. What’s it matter your spilling my brandy, I’ll drink plenty more glasses yet, what’s one more or less? He gets the
box from the cart and takes it under his tunic. Be back in a moment. Don’t hold me up now, or I’ll be angry. I know you
mean well. Too back you can’t speak.
As she tries to hold him back he kisses her and tears himself away. Exit. She is desperate, running hither and thither uttering
little noises. The Chaplain and Mother Courage return. Kattrin rushes to her mother.
MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN
EXTRACT NO. 3
MOTHER COURAGE SINGS THE SONG OF THE GRAND CAPITULATION
Outside an officer’s tent.
Mother Courage is waiting. A clerk looks out of the tent.
THE CLERK: I know you. You had a paymaster from the Lutherans with you, what was in hiding. I’d not complain if I were you.
MOTHER COURAGE: But I got a complaint to make. I’m innocent, would look as how I’d a bad conscience if I let this pass. Slashed
everything in me cart to pieces with their sabres, they did, then wanted I should pay fiver taler fine for nowt. I tell you, nowt.
CLERK: Take my tip, better shut up. We’re short of canteens, so we let you go on trading, specially if you got a bad conscience and
pay a fine now and then.
MOTHER COURAGE: I got a complaint.
CLERK: Have it your own way. Then you must wait till the captain’s free. Withdraws inside the tent.
YOUNG SOLDIER enters aggressively: Bouque la madonne! Where’s that bleeding pig of a captain what’s took my reward money to
swig with his tarts? I’ll do him.
OLDER SOLDIER running after him: Shut up. They’ll put you in irons.
YOUNG SOLDER: Out of there, you thief! I’ll slice you into pork chops, I will. Pocketing my prize money after I’d swum the river,
only one in the whole squadron, and now I can’t even buy meself a beer. I’m not standing for that. Come on our there so I can
cut you up!
OLDER SOLDIER: Blessed Mother of God, he’s asking for trouble.
MOTHER COURAGE: Is it some reward he weren’t paid?
YOUNG SOLDIER: Lemme go, I’ll slash you too while I’m at it.
OLDER SOLDIER: He rescued the colonel’s horse and got no reward for it. He’s young yet, still wet behind the ears.
MOTHER COURAGE: Let him go, he ain’t a dog you got to chain up. Wanting your reward is good sound sense. Why be a hero
otherwise?
YOUNG SOLDIER: So’s he can sit in there and booze. You’re shit-scared, the lot of you. I done something special and I want my
reward.
MOTHER COURAGE: Don’t you shout at me, young fellow. Got me own worries, I have; any road you should spare your voice, be
needing it when the captain comes, else there he’ll be and you too hoarse to make a sound, which’ll make it hard for him to clap
you in irons ‘til you turn blue. People what shouts like that can’t keep it up ever; half an hour, and they have to be rocked to
sleep, they’re so tired.
YOUNG SOLDIER: I ain’t tired and to hell with sleep. I’m hungry. They make our bread from acorns and hemp-seed, and they even
skimp on that. He’s whoring away my reward and I’m hungry. I’ll do him.
MOTHER COURAGE: O I see, you’re hungry. Last year that general of yours ordered you all off roads and across fields so corn should
be trampled flat; I could’ve got ten florins for a pair of boots s’pose I’d had boots and s’pose anyone’d been able to pay ten
florins. Thought he’d be well away from that area this year, he did, but here he is, still there, and hunger is great. I see what
you’re angry about.
YOUNG SOLDIER: I won’t have it, don’t talk to me, it ain’t fair and I’m not standing for that.
MOTHER COURAGE: And you’re right; but how long? How long you not standing for unfairness? One hour, two hours? Didn’t ask
yourself that, did you, but it’s the whole point, and why, once you’re in irons it’s too bad if you suddenly finds you can put up
with unfairness after all.
YOUNG SOLDIER: What am I listening to you for, I’d like to know? Bouque la Madonne, where’s the captain?
MOTHER COURAGE: You been listening to me because you know it’s like what I say, your anger has gone up in smoke already, it was
just a short one and you needed a long one, but where you going to get it from?
YOUNG SOLDIER: Are you trying to tell me asking for my reward is wrong?
MOTHER COURAGE: Not a bit. I’m just telling you your anger ain’t long enough, it’s good for nowt, pity. If you’d a long one I’d be
trying to prod you on. Cut him up, the swine, would be my advice to you in that case; but how about if you don’t cut him up
cause you feels your tail going between your legs? Then I’d look silly and captain’s take it out on me.
OLDER SOLDIER: You’re perfectly right, he’s just a bit crazy.
YOUNG SOLDIER: Very well, let’s see if I don’t cut him up. Draws his sword. When he arrives I’m going to cut him up.
CLERK looks out: The captain’ll be here in one minute. Sit down.
The Young Soldier sits down.
MOTHER COURAGE: He’s sitting now. See, what did I say? You’re sitting now. Ah, how well they know us, no one need tell ‘em
how to go about it. Sit down! and, bingo, we’re sitting. And sitting and sedition don’t mix. Don’t try to stand up, you won’t
stand the way you was standing before. I shouldn’t worry about what I think; I’m no better, not one moment. Bought up all
our fighting spirit, they have. Eh? S’pose I kick back, might be bad for business.
MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN
EXTRACT NO. 4
NARRATOR:
It is the seventeenth year of the great war of faith. Germany has lost more than half her inhabitants. Those who survive the bloodbath
are killed off by terrible epidemics. Once fertile areas are ravaged by famine, wolves roam the burnt-out towns. In autumn 1634 we
find Courage in the Fichtelgebirge, off the main axis of the Swedish armies. The winter this year is early and harsh. Business is bad,
so that there is nothing to do but beg. The cook gets a letter from Utrecht and is sent packing.
Outside a semi-dilapidated parsonage.
Grey morning in early winter. Gusts of wind. Mother Courage and the cook in shabby sheepskins, drawing the
cart.
THE COOK: It’s all dark, nobody up yet.
MOTHER COURAGE: Except it’s parson’s house. Have to crawl out of bed to ring bells. Then he’ll have hot soup.
THE COOK: What from when whole village is burnt, we seen it.
MOTHER COURAGE: It’s lived in, though, dog was barking.
THE COOK: S’pose parson’s got, he’ll give nowt.
MOTHER COURAGE: Maybe if we sing ...
THE COOK: I’ve had enough. Abruptly: Got a letter from Utrecht saying mother died of cholera and inn’s mine. Here’s letter if you
don’t believe me. No business of yours the way aunty goes on about my mode of existence, but have a look.
MOTHER COURAGE reads the letter: Lamb, I’m tired too of alway being on the go. I feel like butcher’s dog, dragging meat round
customers and getting nowt off it. I got nowt left to sell, and folk got nowt left to buy nowt with. Saxony a fellow in rags tried
landing me a stack of old books for two eggs, Württemberg they wanted to swap their plough for a titchy bag of salt. What’s to
plough for? Nowt growing no more, just brambles. In Pomerania villages are s’posed to have started in eating the younger
kids, and nuns have been caught sticking folk up.
THE COOK: World’s dying out.
MOTHER COURAGE: Sometimes I sees meself driving through hell with me cart selling brimstone, or across heaven with packed
lunches for hungry souls. Give me my kids what’s left, let’s find some place they ain’t shooting, and I’d like a few more years
undisturbed.
THE COOK: You and me could get that inn going, Courage, think it over. Made up me mind in the night, I did: back to Utrecht with
or without you, and starting today.
MOTHER COURAGE: Have a talk to Kattrin. That’s a bit quick for me; I’m against making decisions all freezing cold and nowt inside
you. Kattrin! Kattrin climbs out of the cart. Kattrin, got something to tell you. Cook and I want to go to Utrecht. He’s been
left an inn there. That’d be a settled place for you, let you meet a few people. Lots of ‘em respect somebody mature, looks
ain’t everything. I’d like it too. I get on with cook. Say one thing for him, got a head for business. We’d have our meals for
sure, not bad, eh? And your own bed too; like that, wouldn’t you? Road’s no life really. God knows how you might finish up.
Lousy already, you are. Have to make up our minds, see, we could move with the Swedes, up north, they’re somewhere up that
way. She points to the left. Reckon that’s fixed, Kattrin.
THE COOK: Anna, I got something private to say to you.
MOTHER COURAGE: Get back in cart, Kattrin. Kattrin climbs back.
THE COOK: I had to interrupt, cause you don’t understand, far as I can see. I didn’t think there was need to say it, sticks out a mile.
But if it don’t then let me tell you straight, no question of taking her along, not on your life. You get me, eh.
Kattrin sticks her head out of the cart behind them and listens.
MOTHER COURAGE: You mean I’m to leave Kattrin back here?
THE COOK: use your imagination. Inn’s got no room. It ain’t one of the sort got three bar parlours. Put our backs in it we two’ll let a
living, but not three, no chance of that. She can keep cart.
MOTHER COURAGE: Thought she might find husband in Utrecht.
THE COOK: Go on, make me laugh. Find a husband, how? Dumb and that scar on top of it. And at her age?
MOTHER COURAGE: Don’t talk so loud.
THE COOK: Loud or soft, no getting over facts. And that’s another reason why I can’t have her in the inn. Customers don’t want to
be looking at that all the time. Can’t blame them.
MOTHER COURAGE: Shut you big mouth. I said not so loud.
THE COOK: Light’s on in parson’s house. We can try singing.
MOTHER COURAGE: Cooky, how’s she to pull the cart on her own? War scares her. She’ll never stand it. The drams she must have
... I hear her nights groaning. Mostly after a battle. What’s she seeing in those dreams, I’d like to know. She’s got a soft heart.
Lately I found she’d got another hedgehog tucked away what we’d run over.
THE COOK: Inn’s too small. Calls out: Ladies and gentlemen, domestic staff and other residents! We are now going to give you a
song concerning Solomon, Julius Caesar and other famous personages what had bad luck. So’s you can see we’re respectable
folk, which makes it difficult to carry on, particularly in winter.
NARRATOR:
You saw sagacious Solomon
You know what came of him.
To him complexities seemed plain.
He cursed the hour that gave birth to him
And saw that everything was vain.
How great and wise was Solomon!
The world however didn’t wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It’s wisdom that had brought him to this state –
How fortunate the man with none!
Yes, the virtues are dangerous stuff in this world, as this fine song proves, better not to have them and have a pleasant life and
breakfast instead, hot soup for instance. Look at me: I haven’t any but I’d like some. I’m a serving soldier but what good did my
courage do me in all them battles, nowt, here I am starving and better have been shit-scared and stayed at home. For why?
You saw courageous Caesar next
You know what he became.
They deified him in his life
Then had him murdered just the same.
And as they raised the fatal knife
How loud he cried: You too, my son!
The world however didn’t wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It’s courage that had brought him to that state.
How fortunate the man with none!
THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
EXTRACT NO. 1
Back room in Dogsborough’s restaurant. Dogsborough and his son are washing glasses. Enter Butcher and
Flake.
DOGSBOROUGH: You didn’t need to come. The answer is No. Your proposition stinks of rotten fish.
YOUNG DOGSBOROUGH: My father turns it down.
BUTCHER: Forget it, then. We ask you. You say no. So no it is.
DOGSBOROUGH: It’s fishy. I know your kind of docks. I wouldn’t touch it.
YOUNG DOGSBOROUGH: My father wouldn’t touch it.
BUTCHER: Good. Forget it.
DOGSBOROUGH: You’re on the wrong road, fellows.
The City treasury is not a grab bag
For everyone to dip his fingers into.
Anyway, damn it all, your business is
Perfectly sound.
BUTCHER: What did I tell you, Flake? You fellows are too pessimistic.
DOGSBOROUGH: Pessimism
Is treason. You’re only making trouble for
Yourselves. I see it this way: What do you
Fellows sell? Cauliflower. That’s as good
As meat and bread. Man doesn’t live by bread
And meat alone, he needs his green goods.
suppose I served up sirloin without onions
Or mutton without beans. I’d never see
My customers again. Some people are
A little short right now. They hesitate
To buy a suit. But people have to eat.
They’ll always have a dime for vegetables.
Chin up! If I were you, I wouldn’t worry.
FLAKE: It does me good to hear you, Dogsborough. It gives a fellow courage to go on.
BUTCHER: Dogsborough, it almost makes me laugh to find
You so staunchly confident about the future
Of cauliflower, because quite frankly we
Have come here for a purpose. No, don’t worry.
Not what you think, that’s dead and buried. Something
Pleasant, or so at least we hope. Old man
It’s come to our attention that it’s been
Exactly-twenty three years this June, since you –
Well known to us for having operated
The lunchroom in one of our establishments for
More than three decades – left us to devote
Your talents to the welfare of this city.
Yes, without you own town would not be what
It is today. Nor, like the city, would
The Trust have prospered as it has. I’m glad
To hear you call it sound, for yesterday
Moved by this festive occasion, we resolved
In token of our high esteem, as proof
That in our hearts we somehow still regard you
As one of us, to offer you the major share
Of stock in Sheet’s shipyard for twenty thousand
Dollars, or less than half its value.
He lays the packet of stocks on the bar.
DOGSBOROUGH: Don’t understand.
BUTCHER: Quite frankly, Dogsborough
The Cauliflower Trust is not reputed
For tenderness of heart, but yesterday
After we’d made our ... well, our
Stupid request about the loan, and heard
Your answer, honest, incorruptible
Old Dogsborough to a hair, a few of us –
It’s not an easy thing to say – were close
To tears. Yes, one man said – don’t interrupt
Me, Flake, I won’t say who – ‘Good God’
He said, ‘the man has saved us from ourselves.’
For some time none of us could speak. Then this
Suggestion popped up of its own accord.
DOGSBOROUGH: I’ve heard you, friends. But what is there behind it?
BUTCHER: What should there be behind it? It’s an offer.
FLAKE: And one that we are really pleased to make.
For here you stand behind your bar, a tower
Of strength, a sterling name, the model of
An upright citizen. We find you washing
Glasses, but you have cleansed our souls as well.
And yet you’re poorer than your poorest guest.
It wrings our hearts.
DOGSBOROUGH: I don’t know what to say.
BUTCHER: Don’t say a word. Just take this little package.
An honest man can use it, don’t you think?
By golly, it’s not often that the gravy train
Travels the straight and narrow. Take your boy here:
I know a good name’s better than a bank
Account, and yet I’m sure he won’t despise it.
Just take the stuff and let us hope you won’t
Read us the riot act for this!
DOGSBOROUGH: Sheet’s shipyard!
FLAKE: Look, you can see it from right here.
DOGSBOROUGH, at the window: I’ve seen it
For twenty years.
FLAKE: We thought of that.
DOGSBOROUGH: And what is
Sheet going to do?
FLAKE: He’s moving into beer.
BUTCHER: Okay?
DOGSBOROUGH: I certainly appreciate
Your oldtime sentiments, but no one gives
Away a shipyard for a song.
FLAKE: There’s something
In that. But now the loan has fallen through
Maybe the twenty thousand will come in handy.
BUTCHER: And possibly right now we’re not too eager
To throw our stock upon the open market ...
DOGSBOROUGH: That sounds more like it. Not a bad deal if
It’s go no strings attached.
FLAKE: None whatsoever.
DOGSBOROUGH: The price you say is twenty thousand?
FLAKE: Is it Too much?
DOGSBOROUGH: No. And imagine, it’s the selfsame
Shipyard where years ago I opened my first lunchroom.
As long as there’s no nigger in the woodpile ...
You’ve really given up the loan?
FLAKE: Completely.
DOGSBOROUGH: I might consider it. Hey, look here, son
It’s just the thing for you. I thought you fellows
Were down on me and here you make this offer.
You see, my boy, that honesty sometimes
Pays off. It’s like you say: when I pass on
the youngster won’t inherit much more than
My name, and these old eyes have seen what evil
Can spring from penury.
BUTCHER: We’ll feel much better
If you accept. The ugly aftertaste
Left by our foolish proposition would be
Dispelled. In future we could benefit
By your advice. You’d show us how to ride
The slump by honest means, because our business
Would be your business, Dogsborough, because
You too would be a cauliflower man
And want the Cauliflower Trust to win.
Dogsborough takes his hand.
DOGSBOROUGH: Butcher and Flake, I’m in.
YOUNG DOGSBOROUGH: My father’s in.
A sign appears.
THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
EXTRACT NO. 2
When the lights go on, the courtroom shows every indication of utter exhaustion.
THE JUDGE: The press has dropped hints that this court might be subject to pressure from certain quarters. The court wishes to state
that is has been subjected to no pressure of any kind and is conducting this trial in perfect freedom. I believe this will suffice.
THE PROSECUTOR: Your Honour! In view of the fact that defendant Fish persists in simulating dementia, the prosecution holds that
he cannot be questioned any further. We therefore move...
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Your honour. The defendant is coming to!
Commotion.
FISH, seems to be waking up: Arlarlwaratarlawatrla.
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Water! Your Honour! I ask leave to question defendant Fish.
Uproar.
THE PROSECUTOR: I object. I see no indication that Fish is in his right mind. It’s all a machination on the part of the defence, cheap
sensationalism, demagogy!
FISH: Watr.
Supported by the defence counsel, he stands up.
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Fish, tell the court: Did you, on the 28th of last month, set fire to a vegetable warehouse on the waterfront? Yes
or no?
FISH: N-n-no.
Defence Counsel: When did you arrive in Chicago, Fish?
FISH: Water.
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Water!
Commotion. Young Dogsborough has stepped up to the judge and is talking to him emphatically.
GIRI stands up square-shouldered and bellows: Frame-up! Lies! Lies!
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Did you ever see this man – He indicates Giri. – before?
FISH: Yes. Water.
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Where? Was it in Dogsborough’s restaurant on the waterfront/
FISH, faintly: Yes
Uproar. The bodyguards draw their guns and boo. The doctor comes running in with a glass. He pours
the contents into Fish’s mouth before the defence counsel can take the glass out of his hand.
DEFENCE COUNSEL: I object. I move that this glass be examined.
THE JUDGE, exchanging glances with the prosecutor: Motion denied.
DOCKDAISY screams at Fish: Murderer!
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Your Honour!
Because the mouth of truth cannot be stopped with earth
They’re trying to stop it with a piece of paper
A sentence to be handed down as though
Your Honour – that’s their hope – should properly
Be titled Your Disgrace. They cry to justice:
Hands up! Is this our city, which has aged
A hundred years in seven days beneath
The onslaught of a small but bloody brood
Of monsters, now to see its justice murdered
Nay, worse than murdered, desecrated by
Submission to brute force? Your Honour!
Suspend this trial!
THE PROSECUTOR: I object!
GIRI: You dog!
You lying, peculating dog! Yourself
A poisoner! Come on! Let’s step outside!
I’ll rip your guts out! Gangster!
DEFENCE COUNSEL: The whole town knows this man.
Giri, fuming: Shut up!
When the judge tries to interrupt him: You too!
Just keep your trap shut if you want to live!
He runs short of breath and the judge manages to speak.
THE JUDGE: Order in the court. Defence counsel will incur charges of contempt of court. Mr Giri’s
indignation is quite understandable. To the defence counsel: Continue.
DEFENCE COUNSEL: Fish! Did they give you anything to drink at Dogsborough’s restaurant? Fish! Fish!
GIRI, bellowing: Go on and shout! Looks like his tyre’s gone down.
We’ll see who’s running things in this here town!
Uproar. Darkness. The organ starts again to play Chopin’s Funeral March in dance rhythm.
As the lights go on for the last time, the judge stands up and in a toneless voice delivers the sentence. The
defendant is deathly pale.
THE JUDGE: Charles Fish, I find you guilty of arson and sentence you to fifteen years at hard labour.
A sign appears.
THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
EXTRACT NO. 3
Givola’s flower shop. Ignatius Dullfeet, a very small man, and Betty Dullfeet come in.
THE JUDGE: I don’t like this at all.
BETTY: Why not? They’ve gotten rid of Roma.
DULLFEET: Yes, they’ve murdered him.
BETTY: That’s how
They do it. Anyway, he’s gone. Clark says
That Ui’s years of storm and stress, which even
The best of men go through, are over. Ui
Has shown he wants to mend his uncouth ways.
But if you persevere in your attacks
You’ll only stir his evil instincts up
Again, and you, Ignatius, will be first
To bear the brunt. But if you keep your mouth shut
They’ll leave you be.
DULLFEET: I’m not so sure my silence will help.
BETTY: It’s sure to. They’re not beasts.
Giri comes in from one side, wearing Roma’s hat.
GIRI: Hi. Here already? Mr Ui’s inside.
He’ll be delighted. Sorry I can’t stay.
I’ve got to beat it quick before I’m seen.
I’ve swiped a hat from Givola.
He laughs so hard that plaster falls from the ceiling. and goes out, waving.
DULLFEET: Bad when they growl. No better when they laugh.
BETTY: Don’t say such things, Ignatius. Not here.
DULLFEET, bitterly: Nor anywhere else.
BETTY: What can you do? Already
The rumour’s going around in Cicero
The Ui’s stepping into Dogsborough’s shoes.
and worse, the greengoods men of Cicero
Are flirting with the Cauliflower Trust.
DULLFEET: And now they’ve smashed two printing presses on me.
Betty, I’ve got a dark foreboding.
Givola and Ui come in with outstretched hands.
BETTY: Hi, Ui!
Ui: Welcome. Dullfeet!
DULLFEET: Mr Ui
I tell you frankly that I hesitated
To come, because ...
UI: Why hesitate? A man like you is welcome everywhere.
GIVOLA: So is a beautiful woman.
DULLFEET: Mr Ui, I’ve felt
It now and then to be my duty to
Come out against ...
UI: A mere misunderstanding!
If you and I had know each other from
The start, it never would have happened. It
Has always been my fervent wish that what
Had to be done should be done peacefully.
DULLFEET: Violence...
UI: No one hates it more than I do.
If men were wise, there’d be no need of it.
DULLFEET: My aim...
UI: Is just the same as mine. We both
Want trade to thrive. The small shopkeeper whose
Life is no bed of roses nowadays
Must be permitted to seel his greens in peace.
And find protection when attacked.
DULLFEET, firmly: And be
Free to determine whether he desires
Protection. I regard that as essential.
UI: And so do I. He’s got to be free to choose.
why? Because when he chooses his protector
Freely, and puts his trust in somebody he himself
Has chosen, then the confidence, which is
As necessary in the greengoods trade
As anywhere else, will prevail. That’s always been
My stand.
DULLFEET: I’m glad to hear it from your lips.
For, no offence intended, Cicero
Will never tolerate coercion.
UI: Of course not.
No one, unless he has to, tolerates coercion.
DULLFEET: Frankly, if this merger with the Trust
Should mean importing the ungodly bloodbath
That plagues Chicago to our peaceful town
I never could approve it.
Pause.
UI: Frankness calls
For frankness, Mr Dullfeet. Certain things
That might not meet the highest moral standards
May have occurred in the past. Such things
Occur in battle. Among friends, however
They cannot happen. Dullfeet, what I want
Of you is only that in the future you should
Trust me and look upon me as a friend
who never till the seas run dry will forsake
A friend – and, to be more specific, that
Your paper should stop printing these horror stories
That only make bad blood. I don’t believe
I’m asking very much.
DULLFEET: It’s easy not
To write about what doesn’t happen, sir.
UI: Exactly. And if now and then some trifling
Incident should occur, because the earth
Is inhabited by men and not by angels
You will abstain, I hope, from printing lurid
Stories about trigger-happy criminals.
I wouldn’t go so far as to maintain that
One of our drivers might not on occasion
Utter an uncouth word. That too is human.
And if some vegetable dealer stands
One of our men to a beer for punctual
Delivery of his carrots, let’s not rush
Into print with stories of corruption.
BETTY: Mr Ui, my husband’s human.
GIVOLA: We don’t doubt it.
And now that everything has been so amiably
Discussed and settled among friends, perhaps
You’d like to see my flowers ...
UI, to Dullfeet: After you.
They inspect Givola’s flower shop. Ui leads Betty, Givola leads Dullfeet. In the following they keep
disappearing behind the flower displays. Givola and Dullfeet emerge.
GIVOLA: These, my deer Dullfeet, are Malayan fronds.
DULLFEET: Growing, I see, by little oval ponds.
GIVOLA: Stocked with blue carp that stay stock-still for hours.
DULLFEET. The wicked are insensitive to flowers.
They disappear.
THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
EXTRACT NO. 4
UI: I want to be alone.
ROMA, standing still: Arturo, if I
Hadn’t the kind of faith you’ve just described
I’d sometimes find it hard to look my
Men in the face. We’ve got to act. And quickly.
Giri is cooking up some dirty work.
UI: Don’t worry about Giri. I am planning
Bigger and better things. And now, Ernesto
To you, my oldest friend and trusted lieutenant
I will divulge them.
ROMA, beaming: Speak, Arturo. Giri
And what I had to say of him can wait.
He sits down with Ui. Roma’s men stand waiting in the corner.
UI: we’re finished with Chicago. I need more.
ROMA: More?
UI: Vegetables are sold in other cities.
ROMA: But how are you expecting to get in?
UI: Through the front door, through the back door, through the windows.
Resisted, sent away, called back again.
Booed and acclaimed. With threats and supplications
Appeals and insults, gentle force and steel
Embrace. In short, the same as here.
ROMA: Except
Conditions aren’t the same in other places.
Ui: I have in mind a kind of dress rehearsal
In a small town. That way we’ll see
Whether conditions are so different. I doubt it.
ROMA: And where have you resolved to stage
This dress rehearsal?
UI: In Cicero.
ROMA: But there
They’ve got this Dullfeet with his Journal
For Vegetables and Positive Thinking
Which every Saturday accuses me
Of murdering Sheet.
UI: That’s got to stop.
ROMA: It will. These journalists have enemies.
Their black and white makes certain people
See red. Myself, for instance. Yes, Arturo
I think these accusations can be silenced.
UI: I’m sure they can. The Trust is negotiating
With Cicero right now. For the time being
We’ll just sell cauliflower peacefully.
ROMA: Who’s doing this negotiating?
UI: Clark. But he’s been having trouble. On our account.
ROMA: I see. So Clark is in it. I wouldn’t trust
That Clark around the corner.
UI: In Cicero
They say we’re following the Cauliflower
Trust like its shadow. They want cauliflower, but
They don’t want us. The shopkeepers don’t like us.
A feeling shared by others: Dullfeet’s wife
For instance, who for years now has been running
A greengoods wholesale house. She’d like to join
The Trust, and would have joined except for us.
ROMA: You mean this plan of moving in on Cicero
Didn’t start with you at all, but with the Trust?
Arturo, now I see it all. I see
Their rotten game.
UI: Whose game?
ROMA: The Trust’s.
The going-ons at Dogsborough’s! His will!
It’s all a machination of the Trust.
They want the Cicero connection. You’re in
The way. But how can they get rid of you?
You’ve got them by the balls, because they needed
You for their dirty business and connived at
Your methods. But now they’ve found a way:
Old Dogsborough confesses and repairs
In ash and sackcloth to his coffin.
The cauliflower boys with deep emotion
Retrieve this paper from his hands and sobbing
Read it to the assembled press: how he repents
And solemnly adjures them to wipe out
The plague which he – as he confesses – brought
In, and restore the cauliflower trade
To its time-honoured practices.
That’s what they plan, Arturo. They’re all in it:
UI: You think
It’s all a plot? It’s true. They’ve kept me out
Of Cicero. I’ve noticed that.
ROMA: Arturo
I beg you: let me handle this affair.
I tell you what: my boys and I will beat
It out to Dogsborough’s tonight
And take him with us. To the hospital
We’ll tell him – and deliver him to the morgue.
UI: But Giri’s with him at the villa.
ROMA: He
Can stay here.
They exchange glances.
Two birds one stone.
UI: And Givola?
ROMA: On the way back I’ll drop in at the florist’s
And order handsome wreaths for Dogsborough.
For Giri too, the clown. And I’ll pay cash.
He pats his gun.
UI: Ernesto, this contemptible project of
The Dogsboroughs and Clarks and Dullfeets
To squeeze me out of Cicero’s affairs
By coldly branding me a criminal
Must be frustrated with an iron hand.
I put my trust in you.
ROMA: And well you may.
But you must meet with us before we start
And give the boys a talk to make them see
The matter in its proper light. I’m not
So good at talking.
UI, shaking his hand: It’s a deal.
Lesson Ten
Aim: Apply knowledge of some of the major techniques developed by Brecht in telling a well-known tale. Begin articulating ideas for
the direction of an Epic Theatre performance.
The Fairytale Begins
Divide students into groups of 5.
Students are to select and Brechtianise a well-known fairy tale incorporating a number of selected Epic Theatre techniques.
The students are taken through the following process prior to devising and rehearsing:
The fairytale must be divided into episodes with each episode given a title.
The actors and characters must be introduced at the beginning of the presentation
The techniques to incorporate include:
Use of third person
Frequent character change
Stylised movement
Minimal props
Symbolic gesture
Voice and movement for character
Counting steps
Students rehearse and refine their Fairy tale.
Fairy tales presented.
Lesson Eleven and Twelve
Aim: To explore the potential themes of Brecht’s plays through movement and voice activities.
Hey Ho – lesson adapted from a One Day workshop with The Australian Theatre School
Warm up
Students begin with a series of stretches and lunging exercise to develop group awareness, physical awareness and to awaken the body
and mind.
Step One
Form a circle with the teacher included in the activity to act as a model and team member.
All adopt a lunging stance and begin to move back and forth shifting their weight between their front and back foot.
Leaning in and out the group finds a rhythm.
Encourage students to change legs while maintaining the rhythm and movement.
Introduce the arms into the movement. Provide the image of a rowing moving her arms consistently in and out.
Introduce a heaving breath to further enhance the rhythm of the piece.
Students begin chanting “hey ho” in time with the movement.
Gradually introduce more of the chant with the students repeating each line:
Hey ho
Nobody home,
Meat no
Drink no Money
Have I None,
Still I will be Very Merry
Hey ho
Nobody home.
Begin to introduce the tune of the song – quite rhythmical, slow and mechanical
Continue to swap legs to increase students confidence and familiarity with the chant.
Encourage students to begin moving through the room continuing to explore the meaning and mood of the song.
Step Two
Students form groups of five.
Each group is to create a movement sequence to the song. No character or emotion is to be included – just actions and singing.
Students continue to explore the potential meaning of the text by altering the style of performance e.g. rap, jazz.
Students rehearse and present.
Step 3
The class extracts meaning and potential themes from the performances. Encourage students to explore the ideas expressed in the
lyrics and movement.
Themes extracted by the class could include the following:
Poverty
The workforce
Mundane life
Lack of ambition or purpose
The increasing gap between the haves and have nots
Step 4
Link themes back to Brecht’s purpose and focus in theatre.
Lesson Thirteen
Aim: Students contribute to the understanding of others in the class in a peer tutor exercise. Brecht’s texts are explored in more detail.
Brecht Tutorial
Students have been reading one of four Brecht play texts:
Mother Courage and her children
Caucasian Chalk Circle
Arturo Ui
The Good Woman of Setzuan
Students form groups with class members that read the same play text and together respond to the following worksheet. Students
organise their tutorial presentation for an upcoming lesson.
BERTOLT BRECHT TUTORIAL
Choose one of Brecht’s plays to read and report back on to the class. Fill in the sheet below to help solidify
your understanding of the play.
Consider how they events of the time may have had an impact on Brecht’s choice of material and method
of presentation.
Additionally, think of at least one gimmick that you think would be appropriate in staging this particular
play. It may be use of particular music, symbols, movement, images or set items.
Play: ____________________________________
Dramatury: (date written; political climate; major events etc.)
______________________________________________________________________________________
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Synopsis:
______________________________________________________________________________________
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Directorial Gimmick:
______________________________________________________________________________________
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Lesson Thirteen
Aim: Students apply further Epic Theatre techniques to the treatment of a modern news article.
News Article
Students divide into groups of five.
Each group is given a news article which deals with a prominent issue in society.
Students are to return to their PowerPoint notes and apply a variety of techniques to the presentation of their article. The structure and
purpose of Epic Theatre is to be recognised in the students decision making process.
The presentation should aim to last for 15 minutes.
Students devise and rehearse presentation.
Lesson Fourteen
Aim: Share responses to previous lesson task. Continue to develop understanding of Epic Theatre techniques and explore methods of
applying these creatively to a performance piece.
News Article
Students present work from the previous class.
Debrief
Techniques are identified and assessed for effectiveness.
Lesson Fifteen
Aim: Explore elements of traditional Asian movement to influence character development in directing task. Begin to explore aspects of
gestus.
Focus (adapted from Zen Zen Zo workshop)
Students are introduced to the concept of actor/character in Epic Theatre – aim for a calm and neutral state of body and avoid any
individual characterisation. To begin this journey students will a number of exercises to increase focus, physical, emotional and
psychological awareness.
Step One
Students are to find a fixed point out in front of them while standing in a neutral and relaxed position.
Over the count of 8 students rise onto the balls of their feet maintaining a consistent pace and momentum.
Over 16 counts students lower to the sole of their foot and then continue to move down to their lowest position (without raising heals,
moving at an inconsistent or jerky pace or arriving to early at their destination).
Continue to repeat the process altering the length of time allowed for each aspect of travel.
Once students arrive at their tip toes ask them to close their eyes and to continue to maintain their balance and focus – this is a real
test!
Step Two
Students begin to increase their body awareness by focusing on their walk. To remove unnecessary characterisation the walk should be
small, calculated and precise. Students work on the process of moving from heel, to the flat of the foot, to the toes hitting the floors
surface.
Step Three
To explore the restricted but controlled movement often seen in Asian theatre styles the students join with a partner and provide
resistance and challenge in the following exercise. Student A imagines she has lazers beams streaming out of her hip area. Standing in
a neutral position, maintaining a clear focal and pace she is to sustain a strong clear beam of light as she walks in slow, precise steps to
the edge of the space. Student B is to provide resistance during this time by placing her hands on As hips and assisting her in
maintaining that stream of light. Swap over.
Step Four
In groups of three students begin to explore gesture. Without talking each student demonstrates an everyday activity to her group.
Maintaining this focus each group member must memorise and perfect each gesture considering height, speed and timing of the
movement.
Oriental Influence on Brecht
Students note down the following in books:
 Oriental acting emphasises body control, focusing on movement, gesture, pantomimic dramatisation, mood and the use of
intricate mask, costume and make-up
 The gestures are fluid and full, and their action and attitude are symbolic
 In Brecht’s theatre the actor must:
 take a stand and create a mood or frame of mind that suits the character’s social function
 perform with an awareness of being watched
 look at the floor and openly calculate movement
 make vocal and physical timing strange and disconnected
 occasionally speak stage directions aloud to intensify unemotional acting
 change rolls with other actors during rehearsal to be able to observe the character and remain unattached to the role
 stand in front of the mirror to meticulously study movement and gesture
Gestus
Students view a school production of “Azdak’s Garden” (adapted from the Caucasian Chalk Circle) and identify the gestus adopted by
different characters throughout the performance.
Lesson Sixteen
Aim: To explore the political activity of Brecht’s world and to identify political meaning in a children’s tale.
Isms
Students are introduced in to the different Isms that were active during the time of Brecht’s theatre revolution to gain an understanding
of the influences around him.
“Philosopher’s Corner”
Socialism
You have two cows and give one to your neighbour
Communism
You have two cows; the government takes both and gives you the milk
Fascism
You have two cows; the government take both and sells you the milk
Nazism
You have two cows; the government take both and shoots you
Bureaucratism
You have two cows; the government takes both, shoots one, milks the other and
throws the milk away
Capitalism
You have two cows; you sell one and buy a bull
Found on the wall of the Bushranger Hotel, Collector, NSW
Source Unknown
The Little Red Hen
Students read aloud the following children’s tale and identify the ‘isms’ at work within the text. Discuss the relevance of parables to
Brecht’s own scripts as a moral message is at the centre of each piece. As a class the potential of the piece as an Epic Theatre
performance is discussed:
 what techniques could be employed
 what episodes and titles would be effective
 what gestus would be appropriate for each animal
The Little Red Hen
One day as the Little Red Hen was scratching in a field, she found a grain of wheat.
"This wheat should be planted," she said. "Who will plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Soon the wheat grew to be tall and yellow.
"The wheat is ripe," said the Little Red Hen. "Who will cut the wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was cut, the Little Red Hen said, "Who will thresh the wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was threshed, the Little Red Hen said, "Who will take this wheat to the mill?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
She took the wheat to the mill and had it ground into flour. Then she said, "Who will make this flour into
bread?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
She made and baked the bread. Then she said, "Who will eat this bread?"
"Oh! I will," said the Duck.
"And I will," said the Cat.
"And I will," said the Dog.
"No, No!" said the Little Red Hen. "I will do that." And she did.
From The Gingerbread Guide: Using Folktales with Young Children. Copyright 1987 Scott, Foresman and
Company.
http://www.bres.boothbay.k12.me.us/wq/nnash/WebQuest/little_red_hen.htm
Lesson Sixteen
Aim: Students contribute to the understanding of others in the class in a peer tutor exercise. Brecht’s texts are explored in more detail.
Brecht Play Tutorial
The four play tutorials are presented to the class. Notes are taken and questions are addressed by the students and teacher.
Lesson Seventeen
Aim: Model the forming task to students.
Step One
The teacher takes on the role of an autocratic director (due to time restrictions) and tells students where, when and how to move.
Begin by giving some background information about the man, Galileo, his work and the content of the play. Some areas to cover are:
 Both the subject of his play and the playwright lived at a time of Historical Crisis.
 Galileo assumes at the beginning of the play that he is on the threshold of a new age
 Brecht was hoping for a new socialist state to emerge with Germany
 17th Century Italy – The inquisition supervene
 20th Century Germany – Hitler supervened
 Brecht’s exile meant he could only continue his opposition to the political structure from abroad. Galileo was censored and
had to continue in secret.
Step Two
Read to students: The extract to be directed in Scene six “The Vatican Research Institute”. Galileo submitted his theory’s for papal
consideration (the theory that the earth revolves around the sun). The monks are joking at Galileo’s expense. The church is in control,
pulling the strings etc. therefore to show the absurdity of the situation and the fact that the Church representatives find Galileo’s ideas
nonsensical I’ve chosen to set the scene as though it was a circus. A papal legate has been added to act as ringmaster-narrator and
keeps all in line with his whip.
Step Three
Begin to direct class in scene.
Allocate characters and ask each to create a gestus for their character:
Clowns – A Fat Prelate, A Scholar
Jugglers - A Monk, The Scholar
Bareback riders – A 2nd scholar, a 2nd monk
Trapeze Artists - The 1st scholar, 1st Monk
Lion Tamers – 1st Astronomer, Philosopher, 2nd Astronomer
Sweepers – A very thin monk, The very old cardinal
The Ringmaster/Papal Legate
Galileo/Lion
Life of Galileo
The Vatican research institute, the Collegium Romanum, confirms Galileo’s findings
Entrance – all actor/characters are introduced. Enter walking in a straight line, military fashion, square formation (earth was
considered flat and the Church wanted to contain science) in a box.
Papal Legate:
Step right up, step right
Welcome to the amazing Circus Romanum
See the colourful clowns…(actors introduce themselves and their role)
The jumping jugglers……(actors introduce themselves and their role)
The amazing acrobats……(actors introduce themselves and their role)
The terrifying trapeze artists…(actors introduce themselves and their role)
And the legendary lion tamers…(actors introduce themselves and their role)
Galileo wears a sign around his neck – Leo
Gali
Leo
Circus music is played during the entry
Things take indeed a wondrous turn Looking at Galileo
When learned men do stoop to learn.
Clavius, we are not pleased to say
All shake heads
Upheld Galileo Galilei.
Galileo roars
All frozen in box
Hall of the Collegium Romanum in Rome. It is night-time. High ecclesiastics, monks and scholars in groups. On his own, to one
side, Galileo. The atmosphere is extremely hilarious. Before the beginning of the scene a great wave of laughter is heard.
A Fat Prelate clasps his belly with laughing look at Galileo: Stupidity! Stupidity! (All repeat “Stupidity. Stupidity”lauging and bring
to life) I’d like to hear a proposition that people won’t believe.
A Scholar: For instance: that you have an incurable aversion to meals, Monsignor.
A Fat Prelate: They’d believe it; they’d believe it. Things have to make sense to be disbelieved. That Satan exists: that’s something
they doubt. But that the earth spins (all begin spinning) round like a marble in the gutter; that’s believed all right. O
sancta simplicatas!
A Monk play-acting (begins spinning across room): I’m getting giddy. The earth’s spinning round too fast. Permit me to hold on to
you, professor. He pretends to lurch and clutches one of the scholars.
The Scholar following suit: Yes, the old girl has been on the bottle again. He clutches another.
The Monk: Stop, stop! (Stop spinning) We’re skidding off. Stop, I said!
A Second Scholar: Venus is all askew. I can only see one half of her backside. (Turn with back to audience, stick bum out,
grotesque) Help!
(A group of laughing monks forms, acting as if they were doing their best not to be swept off a ship’s deck in a storm.)
A Second Monk: As long as we aren’t flung on to the moon! (Mooning audience) It’s said to have terribly sharp peaks, my brethren.
The First Scholar: Dig your heels in and resist. (Trapeze artists move down stage across and return to original position)
The First Monk: And don’t look down. I’m losing my balance. (All manically laughing.)
The Fat Prelate intentionally loudly, aiming at Galileo: Oh, that’s impossible. Nobody is unbalanced in the Circus Romanum.
(Much laughter. Two of the Collegium astronomers enter from a door. There is a silence.
A Monk: Are you still going over it? That’s scandalous.
The First Astronomer angrily: Not us. (Unfreeze, feet together and face front)
The Second Astronomer: (Audience address) What’s this meant to lead to? I don’t understand Clavius’s attitude ... One can’t treat
everything as gospel that has been put forward in the past fifty years. In 1572 a new star appeared in the eighth (All
look at 8 o’clock) and highest sphere, the sphere of the fixed stars, which seemed larger and more brilliant than all
the stars round it, and within eighteen months it had gone out and been annihilated (hang head). Does that mean we
must question the eternity and immutability of the heavens?
Philosopher: (Audience address) Give them half a chance and they’ll smash up our whole starry sky.
The First Astronomer: (Audience address) Yes, what are we coming to? Five years later Tycho Brahe in Denmark established the
course of a comet. It started above the moon and broke through one crystal sphere after another, the solid supports
on which all the moving of the heavenly bodies depend. It encountered no obstacles, there was no deflection of its
light. Does that mean we must doubt the existence of the spheres?
The Philosopher: It’s out of the question. As Italy’s and the Church’s greatest astronomer, how can Christopher Clavius stoop to
examine such a proposition?
The Fat Prelate: Outrageous. (All put heads up. Return to gestus but look outraged)
The First Astronomer: He is examining it, though. (Refer to Galileo) He’s sitting in there staring through that diabolical tube. (Lean
forward as if looking through a telescope)
The lyrics for Bohemium Rhapsody have been altered to suit the context
Version for Galileo
Said by Galileo in the middle of the circle
Is this the real truth?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in the Pope’s glare
No escape from finality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
I’m just a scientist, exposing a fallacy
I’m a small fish in a big sea,
Little lie, big foe
Taking on the church now,
Planets round the sun go, wake up to reality
Skulduggery (last line whispered)
All the clerical staff turn inwards and point singing pompously
Allocate lines
I see a little silhouetto of a man
Bladerdash, balderdash, will you do the Roman tango
Thunderbolt and lightning - very very frightening to me ( all genuflect)
Gallileo, Gallileo,
Gallileo, Gallileo,
Gallileo people’s hero- minamo ( hiss this word) ( Galileo cringes )
Debrief
Identify elements of task covered and explore what was done with the play text and why.
Lesson Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two
Aim: To allow time for students to develop individual directing task.
Students spend these lessons devising their directing tasks.
In lesson Twenty-two each student provides her actors (other class members) with scripts and an overview of her performance.
Lesson Twenty-three, Twenty-four, Twenty-five, Twenty-six
Assessing of directing tasks.
Semester 2
Year 11
Task # 5
Unit 4 : Children of the Revolution
FORMING : DIRECTING TASK
DESCRIPTION:
In role as director, you are to plan and direct a group of 2/3 actors in an original Brechtian version of one of the
chosen extracts. An extracted or imposed social or political issue needs to be carefully considered. You will
demonstrate your ideas and knowledge of Brecht’s philosophies and theatrical techniques in an open
rehearsal.
In your 15 minute open rehearsal you are expected to demonstrate:
 a clear understanding of the background and dramaturgical details of the play
 a clear explanation of your original directorial concept and artistic vision for the chosen piece
 effective use and manipulation of appropriate Elements of Drama
 an understanding of Epic theatre
 effective use of Brechtian staging techniques and alienation effects
 effective communication with your actors
You will need to carefully mange your allocated time to allow for the explanation of your ideas, to block and
direct your actors through the piece, to show an uninterrupted run through of approximately 2 minutes of
rehearsed blocking and to provide feedback to your actors on this run through.
Please refer to your CHECKLIST to assist with detailed preparation.
DOCUMENTATION:


Director’s folio (see attached details)
Reflective Evaluation (150 words)
CONDITIONS:
15 minutes per director.
Class preparation time.
Notes allowed.
DUE DATES:
In class from week beginning 31st October. Specific dates to be negotiated with teacher.
POLICY
 Students must submit a mandatory draft in the
form of a hard copy.
 If your work is not submitted on the due date
then this draft will be assessed as your final
submission.
 A once only extension may be granted in special
circumstances on application to the Head of
Department. (Extension receipt form required).
Special consideration after consultation with
Dean of Students is an exception.
 It is your responsibility to ensure an electronic
back-up copy is made of all work.
Core Skills
Common Curriculum Elements (QCS) integrated in
this task are:





using vocabulary appropriate to a content
(10)
explaining to others (26)
expounding a viewpoint (27)
interrelating ideas/themes/issues (31)
creating/composing/devising (46)
Criteria Overlef
Lesson Twenty seven – Thirty-four
Aim: Prepare students for first summative assessment. Develop analytical skills.
During this time students are exposed to a variety of resources to prepare them for their responding exam. Each
resource viewing requires students to identify the Epic Theatre techniques employed within the piece and to determine
the purpose of each. Students are also asked to identify the socio-political message evident in each example.
Resources explored include:
Dogville (2004) http://www.dogvillemovie.com/
Scenes from – ‘The Mother’ and ‘He Said Yes’ both play texts by Bertolt Brecht
Semester 2
Year 11
Task # 6
Unit 4 : Children of the Revolution
Responding Task: Summative
Context
In La Boite Theatre Company’s recent move to its new premises in the Creative Industries
Precinct, a fragment of an old script was discovered. The Artistic Director thinks that it could be
from a play by Bertolt Brecht.
What evidence can you find in the extract to confirm that it is probably from a Brechtian play?
Task Description
You are to write an expository essay analysing elements of the text that reflect the ideas and
conventions of Brecht’s Epic Theatre.
Read the extract several times and make notes of references that parallel Brecht’s social and/or
political concerns and Brecht’s ideas about staging, acting and theatrical style.
Carefully structure your essay, clearly identifying and explaining your points. Provide specific
examples by directly referring to the text to justify your evaluation.
CONDITIONS:
Unseen exam
1 A4 page of notes allowed
1 hr 40 minutes supervised exam + 15
minutes perusal – notes and essay
plan allowed to be written in this time
Length: approximately 700 - 800 words
Core Skills
Common Curriculum Elements (QCS) integrated in
this task are:
 Using correct spelling, punctuation, grammar (9)
 Using vocabulary appropriate to a context (10)
 Structuring/organizing extended written text (21)
 Expounding a viewpoint (27)
 Interrelating ideas/themes/issues (31)
 Extrapolating (35)
 Synthesising (44)
 Justifying (48)
 Analysing (43)
DATE:
Friday 25th November, Noon.
Criteria Overleaf