Measures Taken and Other LehrstuckeThe Lehrstücke (or 'learning-plays') lie at the heart of Brechtian theatre. Written during 1929 and 1930, years of far-reaching political and economic upheaveal in Germany and the period of Brecht's most sharply Communist works, these short plays show an abrupt rejection of most of the trappings of conventional theatre. The Lehrstücke are spare and highly formalized pieces intended for performance by amateurs, on the principle that the moral and political lessons contained in them can best be taught by participation in an actual production. There is nothing in the drama of the twentieth century to match the precision of their language and the economy of their theatrical technique. |
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agitators represent Arthur Waley attack bandits beats bellies Need Berliner Ensemble Bertolt Brecht border bottle BOY enters area boy in area Brecht Collected Plays Caucasian Chalk Circle change the world Chinese city of Mukden class-conscious CONTROL CHORUS coolie goes coolie's coolies slips dangerous journey dead expedition fallen ill fighters FOUR AGITATORS GUIDE Han Station head heard hurl hush money innkeeper Instruction about curing JUDGE leaflet learning-play Lehrstück lime-pit Listen Measures Taken Medicine and instruction misery mother mountains narrow ridge Need their dinner oppressed OVERSEER PARTY HOUSE police POLICEMAN porter propaganda Pull faster push Your neighbour Ralph Manheim reaching Urga revolution river SECOND CARAVAN second worker shoot sings Station stone TEACHER tell tent theatre There's thing THREE AGITATORS THREE STUDENTS Threepenny Opera Tientsin tired from climbing told tomorrow turn back unemployed uninhabited wages wait want us wanted water-bottle water-holes YOUNG COMRADE