Introduction
Bertolt Brecht was a famous Marxist playwright, producer, and director from Germany. He was also a writer who wrote about dramatic theory. He was born in Augsburg (February 10th 1898 – August 14th 1956), Germany but was a Marxist and lived his most productive years in East Germany after World War II. He married twice and had three children. His first wife, Marianne Zoff, died of tuberculosis. His second wife was Helene Weigel. He died at age 56.
Brecht was born with a congenital heart condition and had his first heart attack at age 12. He was a sickly child who spent some time in a sanitarium to rest. His mother was also sickly with cancer during his childhood. Many believe that that influenced his early works.
Brecht began writing when he was still in school often contributing to the school magazine he helped create. He wrote his first works while in school and contributed to the local newspaper at sixteen. In 1922 his first play opened in Munich: Drums in the Night. This play earned him the Kleist Prize that was awarded to young dramatists.
During World War II Brecht was exiled first in Finland, then in Los Angeles where he met up with other Germans in exile (such as Arnold Schönberg, Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Thomas Mann, etc.) There he continued to work. Prior to his return to Germany he was called before the congressional committee investigating communists and subversive activities within the United States. He testified that he was not a member of the communist party and was allowed to return to Europe the next day. He was not wholly accepted by the communist government of East Germany when he returned home because of this.
What He Believed
Brecht was an established writer and director before World War II sent him into exile. He did not like the bourgeois agenda and that was reflected in his plays. He was also anti-Aristotelian.
Brecht believed that theatre should be morally instructive or didactive (Lehrstücke). He used his plays as a way to show his disdain for the bourgeois and capitalistic society as a whole. He wanted his plays to instruct or sway the audience into believing that the capitalistic society should be replaced by a Marxist society. He believed this type of society was superior to capitalistic society. Brecht tried to make his plays thought provoking. Oftentimes Brecht was disappointed because his plays led the audience to believe other than what Brecht wanted them to believe. His “Threepenny Opera” was taken as a happy, sentimental opera rather than the parody that he had intended. Many of his plays had this affect on audiences much to is dismay.
His Techniques
Brecht directed like no other director of his time. With his trademark cigar in his mouth he would direct and rehearse his plays in his unique style. This is now called the “Brechtian” style of directing.
During rehearsals Brecht would create scenes between scenes to help the actors rehearse but would omit those scenes when the play was actually performed. He was looking to create what was called the “V-effect” (Verfremdungseffekt). This effect made things seem different or strange. Things are presented in the plays in a surprising manner that makes one see it differently. Also, during rehearsals Brecht insisted that all stage directions be verbalized. Dialogue during rehearsals was given in third person rather than first person. This was meant to assist the actors in relaxing and becoming aware of the audience. It’s amazing that all remembered their lines in first person during performances or remembered to omit practice, or bridge, scenes. For scenes Brecht wrote detailed notes but rarely referred to these notes in rehearsals.
Because Brechts plays did not use much stage scenery or sets he had the actors use what is called “gestus”. Today this is referred to as using body-language. Gestus is an exaggerated form of body language to accompany the dialogue.
Brecht did not care for Aristotelian theatre, specifically that of Schiller and Goethe. He referred to his own plays as “Nicht Aristotelisches” or “non-Aristotelian” because they were not done in dramatic poetics.
Another techniques specific to Brecht was the use of placards during performances. His stage settings were very meager and placards were used to introduce events within the plays. Brecht also used what is called “expressionism”. This technique uses symbolism and unrealistic speech. It also uses unnaturalistic sequences of time, place, and action. Many of Brechts plays before World War II use these techniques.
Brechts stages were very well lit. In fact, Brecht compared his sets to boxing rings which were also very well lit. Brecht did not allow dimming or the use of color lighting. Brecht’s idea was to keep everything simple and rely on the actors for the flow of the play or performance. He did use music extensively using various styles. He used music as “gestic” music much like he used body language. His “epic” plays were recorded in detail with everything about a set recorded. He took pictures of the sets and took careful notes about each set.
Brecht was very much influenced by Luther’s German translation of the Bible with many quotes showing up in his plays. Specifically, he used quotes in Mother Courage and Her Children. As a child Brecht had been exposed to Latin and the Humanities as part of his education. This certainly influenced his work as well.
The Berliner Ensemble
In January of 1949 Bertolt Brecht and his wife, Helene Weigel established the Berliner Ensemble. This ensemble worked at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm in East Berlin where Brecht and his wife went after their exile in the United States. The ensemble performed Brecht’s plays and “epics” following the techniques established by Brecht. He wrote no new material for the ensemble and they performed mostly plays he had written previously. After Bertolt Brecht died his wife, Helene Weigel, directed the ensemble until her death in 1971. The ensemble developed an international reputation for performing Brecht’s unique form of plays. After his death the ensemble continued to perform his art while also tackling plays by other playwrights.
Conclusion
Despite Bertolt Brecht’s sickly childhood he grew and learned to be a great playwright of his time. He used his childhood and his mother’s illness as fodder for the stage and in his writings. His educational background also prepared him well for the stage. He had opportunities early on to practice his writing and see it published. He was also influenced greatly by Luther’s German translation of the Bible.
Brecht created techniques for the stage such as the v-effect, gestus, and believed that his plays should be morally instructive. His unique rehearsals using bridge scenes and actors reciting their parts and stage instructions in third person helped the actors relax in front of their audience.
Brecht, with his second wife, created the Berliner Ensemble which performed many of his plays many years past his death. This ensemble continues to perform today both new works and the works of its founders.
Brecht’s stage sets were kept simple with the director relying on the actors using “gestus’ to perform. He used placards to help the audience follow the flow of the plays. His stages were well lit like a boxer’s ring and Brecht did not believe in fading lights or colored lights in his performances.
Brecht was certainly a fantastic playwright and director!
References
“Brecht, Bertolt.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web.
“Brechtian adj.” The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Eleventh edition revised. Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2006. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. OPLIN WebFeat. 2008. Web.