Bertolt Brecht is an important figure in the history of theatre. He was a German playwright poet and theatre founder who lived and worked during the first half of the 20th century. Many of his works such as Mother Courage and Her Children reflect his pacifist Marxist beliefs.
There’s definite value in staging a Brecht play if for no other reason than to allow contemporary audiences a rare opportunity to experience the work of such a highly esteemed theatre practitioner. And that’s what the University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) offers with its current production — Brecht’s Man Equals Man.
At the centre of the story is one Galy Gay (Natasha Strickey) a simple porter who is transformed through the manipulative actions of others into a British colonial soldier with a new name and identity.
To quote director Tim Sutherland Man Equals Man is about “how we as human animals are constantly disassembling and reassembling ourselves.” Brecht also touches on themes of authority and the oft ineptitude of those who hold such positions as well as colonialism and war.
I applaud the SCPA’s courage for mounting such a challenging play one that has very high potential of failure from the outset. Unfortunately theatrical gibberish is the best way to describe what I saw cross the stage not the “mad-cap political satire” it advertises.
For example the cast members’ faces are painted in exaggerated clown makeup an artistic choice I found highly distracting. And frankly the gender-swapping aspect of the production didn’t work for me either. Man Equals Man is a complicated enough journey without women cast as men to add to the confusion. And why were a couple of background cast intent on upstaging the action in a few scenes with their ridiculously stereotypical portrayals of gay males? Attempting to elicit laughter from such a hackneyed joke cheapens the show.
In my opinion the highlight of this production of Man Equals Man is the original music by composer George Fenwick. The delightful musical breaks interrupt what is otherwise a somewhat tiresome theatrical outing.
Again Man Equals Man is a challenging work. I would love to see a production that helps me to access — and understand — Brecht’s ideas. Unfortunately this is not it.
As I overhead one patron saying as she left the theatre “I gave up trying to figure it out. I just went along for the ride.” I couldn’t agree more. I only wish I had enjoyed the “ride” more than I did.
Man Equals Man runs until Saturday February 28 at University Theatre.
