So I haven't been on here for a little while and I feel it is high time that I got myself back on here and wrote something out the universe once again. Quite recently I finished my second year of university and to commemorate this occasion there was a final production for one of each of the four groups. My group had the bless to be given a play by Bertolt Brecht. If you don't know him give a look sometime, he is a very interesting German playwright who worked on many different plays but the one that we were most fortunate to be able to choose was 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'. Again I will assume that many of you don't know what this play is about so before I go into detail about my desired point of focus I will give a brief outlining of what it's all about.
It is set originally in 1930's Chicago despite the fact that Brecht had never been there until after he finished writing the play. It's climate is that of the gangster sub-culture of that city at that time. It details in magnificent images the brutal and intelligent rise to power of a man known as Arturo Ui. The entire play is a parody of Hitlers rise to power in Germany at the same time. You can see the link between Brecht there I imagine. The play parodies the rise of Hitler in such a way as to raise the questions as to why Hitler wasn't stopped on his rise to power and whether it was possible.
I was lucky enough to be cast as the lead character in this play. So yes I was playing Arturo Ui and yes in a roundabout way I was playing Adolph Hitler. So there we go. A curious part to play to say the least. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it none the less. Getting into the mind set was a difficult task but rewarding. Seeing into the mind of one considered mad is difficult for the normal mind to do because there is no link to the logic in most cases. When taking on the task of 'being' Hitler I had to embody the rage and self righteousness that allowed him to carry himself through to power.
Aside from the seriousness for a moment I am sure you it may have crossed your mind many a time already that I was the butt of many a Nazi joke. Not helped by my 1/4 German descent as well. But I played the part and I played it well. A chance to get into the role of a gangster if nothing else. That alone is something intensely cool without a shadow of a doubt. Guns and murder on a whim, brutal take over of institutions and the power struggle for the very heart of London (as is where we set out version of events).
So all in all a good part to play. I know that this play is being done a few times in the next year in different places and as of September will be in London and so I recommend anyone to visit the theatre and enjoy the show because if nothing else it is a truly epic story line and gripping set of events to witness. But also a horrid reminder of the truth that happened all those years ago.
