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In Search of Brecht: Notes from Rehearsals of ‘Leben des Galilei’ at the Berliner Ensemble, 1997

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2009

Robert Lyons
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Abstract

In the fall of 1997, Robert Lyons assisted at the Berliner Ensemble on the production of Leben des Galilei directed by B. K. Tragelehn, who himself had assisted on Brecht's 1955 production of the play, his last before his death. The following article comprises a series of notes, thoughts, and insights gathered and written by the author during the course of rehearsals, research into the theatre's archives, and following discussions spurred by the centenary celebrations of Brecht's birth. Issues arising include the autobiographical elements within Galilei, the nature of ‘alienated’ acting and the relevance of gestus, the treatment of time in the epic theatre, the parable and the need for context in the epic theatre, the necessity of coming to terms with Brecht for our own times, the potential for using ‘Brecht’ in the American theatre, and the future of the Berliner Ensemble. Robert Lyons, who studied at Wabash College, UCLA, and Humboldt University, is an independent director currently living and working in Berlin.

Type
Research Article
Information
New Theatre Quarterly , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , August 1999 , pp. 256 - 279
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

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References

Notes and References

1. Tragelehn, B. K., quoted in Ostermaier, Thomas, ‘Bierkampf um Brecht’, Spielgel: KulturExtra, 12 1997, p. 17Google Scholar.

2. Brecht, Bertolt, ‘Vorrede zur amerikanischen Fassung von Leben des Galilei’, Leben des Galilei Programmheft (Berlin: Berliner Ensemble, 1956). Unattributed translations from the German are by the authorGoogle Scholar.

3. Brecht, Bertolt, ‘Writing the Truth: Five Difficulties’, trans. Bentley, Eric, in Brecht, Bertolt, Galileo (New York: Grove Press, 1996)Google Scholar.

4. Brecht, ‘Vorrede zur amerikanischen Fassung’.

5. Ibid.

6. Bertolt Brecht, ‘Vorwort zu Leben des Galilei’, Leben des Galilei Programmheft.

7. Bertolt Brecht, from Leben des Galilei, quoted in Leben des Galilei Programmheft.

8. See Hayman, Ronald, Brecht: a Biography (New York: Oxford University Press, 1983) p. 325–78Google Scholar.

9. Castorf made this comment during a panel discussion of directors on Brecht entitled ‘Nachmittag der Regisseure, 100 Jahre Brecht’, Berliner Ensemble, Berlin, 8 Feb. 1998.

10. Voigt, Peter, ‘100 Mark von Brecht’, interview with Detlev Lücke and Kathrin Tiedemann, Freitag, Berlin, 6 02 1998, p. 13Google Scholar.

11. Bentley, Eric, The Brecht Memoir (New York: PAJ Publications, 1985), p. 47Google Scholar.

12. A critics' award is given annually to an actor, actress, director, etc., of the year in the German-speaking theatre, and published in the journal Theater. Bierbichler was the 1997 and 1998 recipient.

13. These are descriptions of , Brecht's productions as seen in Modellbuch: Mutter Courage (Berlin: Berliner Ensemble, 1955); and Modellbuch: Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan (Berlin: Berliner Ensemble, 1955)Google Scholar.

14. Bentley, p. 44.

15. Esslin, Martin, Brecht: a Choice of Evils (New York: Methuen, 1984), p. 122Google Scholar.

16. See Benjamin, Walter, Understanding Brecht, trans. Bostock, Anna (London: New Left Books, 1973), p. 2Google Scholar.

17. Ostermaier, p. 18.

18. Benjamin, p. 115.

19. ‘Brecht auf der Probe’, audio recording of rehearsals for Leben des Galilei, Berliner Ensemble, Berlin, 1955.

20. Bertolt Brecht, ‘Aus Anmerkungen zur Dreigroschenoper: Winke für Schauspieler’, Gesammelte Werke: Vol. 2 (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag), p. 488.

21. Esslin, p. 123.

22. See Modellbuch: Mutter Courage.

23. See Modellbuch: Sezuan.

24. Heiner Müller, quoted in Ostermaier, p. 17.

25. , Brecht's note found in production notes for Leben des Galilei (Berliner Ensemble, Berlin, 1955).Google Scholar The absence of initial capitals is Brecht's.

26. Rehearsal Protocol, Leben des Galilei, Berliner Ensemble, Berlin, 1997.

27. See Grass, Günther, ‘Begegnungen mit Brecht’, interview with Frank and Theresa Hörnigk, drive b:, ed. Silberman, Marc (Berlin: Theatre der Zeit/International Brecht Society, 1997), p. 104Google Scholar.

28. Brecht, Bertolt, ‘Leben des Galilei’ (Fassung 1938/1939), Gesammelte Werke: Vol 3 (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag, 1967), Scene 8Google Scholar.

29. Rehearsal Protocol, Leben des Galilei.

30. Heiner Müller, from ‘Motiv bei A.S.’, quoted in Ostermaier, p. 17.

31. Benjamin, p. 12.

32. Ibid., p. 17.

33. Andrzej Wirth, ‘Cultural Exchange in Robert Wilson's Theatre of Visions’, lecture, University of California, Los Angeles, Jan. 1997.

34. See Modellbuch: Mutter Courage.

35. See Modellbuch: Der Hofmeister (Berlin: Berliner Ensemble, 1955).

36. See Modellbuch: Sezuan.

37. See Modellbuch: Prozess der Jeanne d'Arc (Berlin: Berliner Ensemble, 1955).

38. Benjamin, p. 19.

39. Ibid., p. 107.

40. Brecht, Bertolt, ‘Ozeanflug’, Gesammelte Werke: Vol. 2 (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag, 1967), Scene 8Google Scholar.

41. Bertolt Brecht, Kleines Organum, as quoted in R. G. Davis, ‘Brecht/Science/Ecology’, drive b:, ed. Marc Silberman, p. 81.

42. Brecht, Ozeanflug.

43. Brecht, Kleines Organum.

44. , Brecht, ‘Verrat des Galilei’, in the production notes for Leben des Galilei, Berliner Ensemble, Berlin, 1955Google Scholar.

45. Einar Schleef, ‘Formenkanonen kontra Konzeption’, drive b:, ed. Marc Silberman, p. 60.

46. Peter Sellars, quoted in Carl Weber, ‘Wie ein Schofihund domestiziert’, drive b:, ed. Marc Silberman, p. 60.

47. Brecht, ‘Writing the Truth’, p. 136.

48. Richard Foreman, ‘Like First-Class Advertising’, interview with Arnold Aronson, drive b:, ed. Marc Silberman, p. 90.

49. See Modellbuch: Sezuan.

50. For a discussion on this topic, see Yoshia Oida, Between Two Worlds.

51. Bentley, p. 26.

52. Brecht, Bertolt, Exception and the Rule, Gesammelte Werke: Vol. 2 (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag, 1967)Google Scholar.

53. Mayer, Hans, ‘Wir brauchen sein klärendes Wort’, Berliner Zeitung, 10 02 1948Google Scholar, reprinted from Frankfurter Rundschau, 14 Feb. 1998.

54. Benjamin, p. 16.

55. Bowe, Kurt, ‘Drei Fragen’, Berliner Zeitung, 10 02 1998, p. 10Google Scholar.

56. Brecht, ‘Writing the Truth’, p. 150.

57. Bertolt Brecht, ‘Anhang: Die Dreigroschenoper’, Gesammelte Werke: Vol. 3 (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag), p. 491.

58. Esslin, p. 219.

59. Muller, Heiner, from Lektionen: Geschichten aus der Produktion I (Berlin: Rotbuch Verlag, 1974).Google Scholar The original text reads: ‘Oder der mifiverstandene Bertolt Brecht / Mit groβer Zähigkeit und etwas Hoffnung / Mehr als den Bogen spannen konnte auch er nicht/ Wieviele Strohköpfe überlebte inn. / Sein Leben lang suchte er eine Möglichkeit / Den Nachsten nicht zu toten. Gegen Ende / Hatte er sie von weitem gesehen / Halb verdeckt von einem blütigen Nebel’.

60. Benjamin, Walter, ‘Gespräche mit Brecht’, quoted in ‘Spielplan, Februar 1998’, ed. Herkenrath, Kirsten (Berlin: Berliner Ensemble, 1998)Google Scholar.

61. Brecht, Bertolt, Leben des Galilei, Versuche Heft 15 (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag, 1957)Google Scholar.

62. Oesterreich, Volker, ‘Theatre ist nie harmlos, esmuβ polarisieren’, Berliner Morgenpost, 2 05 1998, p. 23Google Scholar.

63. Bertolt Brecht, letter to Herbert Jhering, 1922. The original text reads: ‘Ieh bin nämlich überzeugt, daβdie / Brechthausse ebenso auf einem / Miβverständnis beruht wie die / Brechtbaisse, die ihr folgen wird, / Inzwischen liege ich ziemlich ruhig / in der Horizontalen, rauche und / verhalte mich ruhig’.