CurtainUp
CurtainUp
The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings
HOME PAGE

SITE GUIDE

SEARCH


REVIEWS

REVIEW ARCHIVES

ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP

FEATURES

NEWS
Etcetera and
Short Term Listings


LISTINGS
Broadway
Off-Broadway

NYC Restaurants

BOOKS and CDs

OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
California
New Jersey
DC
Philadelphia
Elsewhere

QUOTES

TKTS

PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS

LETTERS TO EDITOR

FILM

LINKS

MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
A CurtainUp Review
Good Person of Szechwan

" Show some interest in her goodness, for no one can be good for long if goodness is not in demand."— The First God
Good Person of Szechwan
Taylor Mac (red dress) and company in a scene from Good Person of Szechwan
(Photo credit: Pavel Antonov)
One of the first things I try to teach my creative writing students is the importance of commitment. Half measures don't work in any creative endeavor; hedge your bets, or hesitate at the wrong moments, and the audience will immediately sense it.

No dramatist understood this truth better than Bertolt Brecht, who spent his artistic life pursuing a multi-faceted vision of the theater in which elements of vaudeville, commedia dell'arte, and morality play came together to produce works startling in their deep understanding of the human condition. When a theater company understands this challenge as much as Brecht did, and has the talent to approach it, the result is a special one — and it's hard to think of a company better suited for the task than The Foundry Theatre, which has got a winner on its hands with Good Person of Szechwan.

Brecht's play follows the life of Shen Tei, a prostitute living in poverty in the slums of Szechwan until she shelters three gods, searching for a "good person" to prove that it is possible to be both good and survive in the world. The gods pay her an exorbitant amount for the night's lodging-partly to support her "goodness," though this isn't technically allowed-and leave, instructing her friend Wang to watch what happens next. Predictably for one of Brecht's tales, what happens next is a series of compromises and half-measures, with the other residents of the slums attempting to take advantage of Shen Tei's good fortune and good will…until she is forced to develop an alternate persona, a cousin she names Shui Ta, to deal with matters.

It's not a feel good story by any stretch, but part of Brecht's brilliance is his ability to take a fundamentally sad tale and skillfully lighten the tone with comedic elements, over the top characters and absurd self-commentary. Here's where the Foundry production really hits its stride.

Director Lear deBessonet jumps in with both feet, drawing the production into an outsized, larger than life caricature. The set (nicely conceived by designer Matt Saunders) features a series of small houses over which the actors tower, emphasizing not only the absurdity of the story but the almost puppet-like quality of its characters. And the action is both dynamic and engaging, using the unique space of La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre to maximum effect, with enough audience interaction to destabilize the usual lines between performer and viewer without irritating either party.

The cast has the same commitment as the crew, and there are really no bad performances, with particularly credible turns from Vinie Burrows, Annie Golden and Mia Katigbak as the gods, memorable performances as both Mrs. Mi Tzu and Mrs. Yang by Lisa Kron, and a genuine, likable rendering of Wang the Waterseller by David Turner. Bit it's Taylor Mac's performance as Shen Tei that is the real standout here. Mac seems to be made for this role. He's utterly human and at great ease with both Shen Tei and her yang Shui Ta, simultaneously generating sympathy for her plight and frustration at her constant attempts to both survive and do good in the world-two essentially incompatible things which the usually absent gods are incapable of helping to reconcile. When Shen Tei asks them for help, her anguish at being dismissively told "You can manage. Only be good, and all will be well!" is pitch perfect.

It all adds up to a fine production and a worthy first collaboration between The Foundry Theatre and La MaMa. As they point out in the program, Brecht might have been the perfect opening choice: a shining example of how well theater can work when bringing together apparently disparate elements into a harmonious whole. This is real theater — bold, chaotic, and compelling, for real theater fans. If you count yourself in that group, I highly recommend Good Person of Szechwan.

Good Person of Szechwan
Written by Bertolt Brecht
Translated by John Willett
Director: Lear deBessonet
Cast: Kate Benson (Mrs. Shin), Ephraim Birney (The Nephew), Vinie Burrows (God #1), Clifton Duncan (Grandfather / Wang), Annie Golden (God #3), Jack Allen Greenfield (Boy / Carpenter's Son), Brooke Ishibashi (The Woman), Paul Juhn (The Man / Mr. Shu Fu), Mia Katigbak (God #2), Lisa Kron (Mrs. Mi Tzu / Mrs. Yang), Taylor Mac (Shen Tei / Shui Ta), David Turner (Wang / Waiter), Darryl Winslow (Unemployed Man / Carpenter / Policeman)
Music by Cesar Alvarez with the Lisps
Musical Director: Cesar Alvarez
Set Designer: Matt Saunders
Costume Designer: Clint Ramos
Lighting Designer: Tyler Micoleau
Sound Designer: Brandon Walcott
Running time: Two hours, thirty minutes with fifteen minute intermission
La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th St., (212) 475-7710
Website: http://lamama.org/category/ellen-stewart-theatre
From 2/1/13 to 2/24/13; opening 2/1/13
Tuesday - Sunday @ 7:30 p.m., Sunday @ 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: General Admission $35.00, Student and Senior $30.00
Reviewed by Dr. Gregory A. Wilson at Feb. 7th performance
REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
  • I agree with the review of Good Person of Szechwan
  • I disagree with the review of Good Person of Szechwan
  • The review made me eager to see Good Person of Szechwan
Click on the address link E-mail: esommer@curtainup.com
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V):

Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review.

Visit Curtainup's Blog Annex
For a feed to reviews and features as they are posted add http://curtainupnewlinks.blogspot.com to your reader
Curtainup at Facebook . . . Curtainup at Twitter
Subscribe to our FREE email updates: E-mail: esommer@curtainup.comesommer@curtainup.com
put SUBSCRIBE CURTAINUP EMAIL UPDATE in the subject line and your full name and email address in the body of the message. If you can spare a minute, tell us how you came to CurtainUp and from what part of the country.
Slings & Arrows  cover of  new Blu-Ray cover
Slings & Arrows- view 1st episode free




Anything Goes Cast Recording Anything Goes Cast Recording
Our review of the show

Book Of Mormon MP4 Book of Mormon -CD
Our review of the show
amazon




©Copyright 2013, Elyse Sommer.
Information from this site may not be reproduced in print or online without specific permission from esommer@curtainup.com