Bertolt Brecht - Education Scotland

32
CRITICAL STUDIES
Itzin, C, Stages in the Revolution: political theatre in Britain since 1968,
London: Methuen, 1980
A great read, written less in an academic manner and more with a journalistic
clarity. The theatrical activity of the left in the ten years between 1968 and
1978 is all here, bursting with Brechtian influences.
Jameson, F, Brecht and Method, London: Verso, 1998
By one of the foremost writers on postmodernism and culture, Jameson’s
book is a difficult read but one that, while trying to claim parts of Brecht for
postmodernism, also recognises his modernist roots. (Jameson prefers the
translation ‘estrangement’, rather than ‘alienation’, for Verfremdung.) Read the
section on The Caucasian Chalk Circle and the positing of a theoretical
reasoning for his use of pre-modernist peasantry set against the modernism of
capitalists.
Jones, David Richard, Great Directors at Work: Stanislavski, Brecht, Kazan,
Brook, Berkeley and London: University of California Press, 1976
Includes in-depth description and analysis of Mother Courage model book.
Kaye, N, Postmodernism and Performance, London: Macmillan, 1994
There is absolutely no mention whatsoever of Bertolt Brecht in this book. As a
study of postmodernist practice, it is concerned with ‘disruption’ of the
spectacle and narrative, and the challenging of hierarchies. All these concerns,
of course, are very Brechtian but due to the postmodernist perspective, room
for a meta-narrative such as Marxism is forbidden. This book will provide
insight into the practice of theatre that many ex-leftwing political theatre
practitioners have moved into. The content and theory may differ, but some of
the techniques and rationales for their use, are remarkably similar. (This book
may also provide some challenging ideas for Unit 1: Devised Drama.)
Kleber, P, and Visser, C (eds.), Re-interpreting Brecht: his influence on
contemporary drama and film, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1990
Another series of essays, some better than others.
‘Blocking Brecht’ by Maarten Van Dijk is a superb account of the 1983 RSC
production of Mother Courage and the conflict between faithfulness to, and
re-interpretation of, a classic piece of drama.
‘The Origins, Aims and Objectives of the Berliner Ensemble’ by Joachim
Tenschent is eminently readable, short and very much to the point.
Klaus Völker’s ‘Productions of Brecht’s plays on the West German Stage, 1945–
1986’ takes a little time to warm up but when it does (as Volker begins to
DRAMA