The full name being "the Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton under the Direction of Monsieur de Sade"
was written by Peter Weiss. Weiss was a german/ czechoslovakian Jew who lived in Germany. He was originally a visual artist and painter but began writing after his family fled Germany during the Nazi Occupation. All of Weiss's works, like "Marat/Sade" are influenced by Brecht and written to comment on social and political issues. Some of his other works are "Trotsky in Exile," "Vietnam discourse," and "The investigation." “Marat/ Sade” was originally performed in West Berlin at the Schiller Theater in 1964. The show however did not become well known until Peter Brooke, a british director, staged the show that year at the Aldwych Theater in London. Brooke later brought the show to New York. The show received many different reviews, some saying that the show was little more than “shock theater,” others acclaimed the piece. It recieved several awards including a Tony Perry Award, a Lessing Preis Award, and a Drama Critic’s Circle Award for best play.
Weiss said, of his own work, “I myself think that the art should be so strong that it changes life, otherwise it is a failure.”
- How do Coulmier’s frequent outbursts and demands effect the message of the show?
- Charlotte’s character is described as a fairly ambiguous character who almost sleepwalks through the performance. Do you think this is a trait of the character in the Sade’s show or is it an effect of the patient who plays her’s disease?
- How does the Play within a Play style of this show help to impress its meaning upon the audience (not Coulmier and his family)? How is this Brechtian?
- What is the significance of Coulmier ordering the nurses to beat the patients into submission at the end of the play?
- How does Sade feel about the Revolution as made evident by his conversations with Marat?
- It is said that an audience member actually died while watching this show, while many others fell in disgust. How do you think this play would effect you if you saw it performed live?
- Why is Marat’s struggle and inability to write his thoughts so meaningful to the show?
The prisoners at the asylum chant throughout the entirety of the show “... we need a revolution now!” Do you believe this is a line in Sade’s script or a plea from the inmates at Cherenton?
- Roux has many issues with the church, as seen in his frequent outbursts. How do you think his prior affiliation with the church he criticizes effects his character’s message?
- Marat believed that society must change for humanity to change. Sade believed the self must be changed for society to change. Who was right?
It is said that an audience member actually died while watching this show, while many others fell in disgust. How do you think this play would affect you if you saw it performed live?
ReplyDeleteThat sucks. I know this sounds crazy, but I would love to see this play performed live. I don’t know how it would affect me exactly, but I guarantee it would do something drastic to me, at least for the rest of the day. Who wants to see love and learn about something all the time; I like action, violence and things that are just wrong sometimes. It’s so different from traditional plays and besides, it’s really a treat, because it’s two for the price of one. It’s also complete, yet contained chaos and I like the way it’s written because there are so many decisions that can be made on what the actors say and mean or what they just say because it’s in the script (the other script). This could be a spectacular production if done correctly and I’d like to see actual inmates be part of the show. Yeah, I know, what the hell is wrong with me but hear me out. Real criminals would add an extra dimension to the play, regardless of what their crimes were. If there were people brave enough to come see this, they’d probably be scared liked a little bitch and if I was the director, I’d love this.
The prisoners at the asylum chant throughout the entirety of the show “... we need a revolution now!” Do you believe this is a line in Sade’s script or a plea from the inmates at Cherenton?
I think it begins as a line from Sade’s script but eventually becomes the plea of the inmates; prisoners may be crazy and they may do stupid things but nine times out of ten, they’re not dumb.
I can't find the post for Threepenny Opera so I'm posting here.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was incredibly ironic that Polly was the one who sung "Pirate Jenny." The song speaks of a woman who wants the power to kill anyone she likes and then sail away. Little did she know she was marrying such a man. Mac could literally do anything he wanted without repercussions. The only way Jenny and Mac were different was that Mac didn't have the power to leave town. He was not strong to leave all his desires behind.
For Threepenny Opera...
ReplyDeleteBrecht is awesome. I really enjoy his distancing methods, like when the actors become an audience for Polly when she sings "Pirate Jenny," and when (I can't find the line) someone says something to the degree of "It's not like this is an Opera." Oh and when the characters at the end straight up tell the audience "Since this is opera, not life, you'll see Justice give way before humanity."
Would someone, anyone, please invite me to contribute so I can get this blog post on M Butterfly up? I did the whole email thing way back at the beginning of the semester, but I didn't realize I needed to accept the invite, I thought the invite was all I needed...now the invite email has expired, and I need someone who is an approved contributor to invite me asap, my google email is ecowan327gmail.com. Thanks guys! As soon as someone approves me, I will post my discussion questions for you.
ReplyDelete