Brecht as. Stranger in. Postdramatic Era: Fatzer at the Deutsches Theater 2016

Summary

In this article,. examine the relation between postdramatic theater and Bertolt Brecht's theories, and analyze Tom Kühnel and Jürgen Kuttner’s 2016 production of Brecht's Untergang des Egoisten Johann Fatzer (Downfall of the Egoist Johann Fatzer) at the Deutsches Theater from. postdramatic viewpoint.. am particularly interested in the possibility of. postdramatic directing style as. catalyst in the development of the relation between audience and performance and as. key to strengthening the Brechtian utopian theater form of the Lehrstück (learning play).

The regulation of productions of Brecht's plays has been rigorous, the rights holders and the Berliner Ensemble have accepted neither textual changes nor additions, especially during the time when Brecht's widow Helene Weigel was still in charge. David Barnett has published statistics from the Berliner Ensemble showing that during the period 1964–67 the company sent modelbooks covering 29 productions to 165 theaters, 63 of which were based outside the German Democratic Republic. During the same period, there were also 729 visitors to the archive who studied the modelbooks and the “Notate” (notations). It was understood that this was the way to learn how to mount. “correct” Brecht production. During the 1960s, for political and aesthetic reasons, Brecht's works were rarely performed in the two Germanies (with the BE as the exception). Rather, his plays were produced in countries such as France, Italy, Finland, and Sweden where, in addition, his acting theories were taught.

Even today, few Brecht plays are produced in Germany using new directing styles. This will probably end in 2026, that is, seventy years after Brecht's death when the copyright on his works will expire. The last notable cancellation of. production was Frank Castorf's iconoclastic staging of Baal in Munich in spring 2015. Since then, several producers have chosen not to stage Brecht's plays since they are exhausted by the restrictions or concerned about having their productions banned. However, the acceptance of Castorf's 2019 production of Galileo Galilei at the BE and recent comments by Johanna Schall, who has been responsible for the rights since fall 2015, are encouraging signs.