Main city Sichuan Province, which summarizes all the places in globe and any time in which man exploits man is the place and time of the play.
Prologue. For two millennia now the cry has not stopped: this cannot continue! No one in this world is able to be kind! And the concerned gods decreed: the world can remain as it is if there are enough people capable of living worthy of a person life. And to check this, the three most prominent gods descend to earth. Perhaps the water-carrier Wang, who was the first to meet them and treat them to water (by the way, he is the only one in Sichuan who knows that they are gods), is a worthy person? But his mug, the gods noticed, with double bottom. The good water-carrier is a swindler! The simplest check the first virtue - hospitality - upsets them: in none of the rich houses: neither Mr. Fo, nor Mr. Chen, nor the widow Su - can Wang find accommodation for them. There is only one thing left: turn to the prostitute Shen De, because she cannot refuse anyone. And the gods spend the night with the only kind person, and the next morning, having said goodbye, they leave Shen De an order to remain just as kind, as well as a good payment for the night: after all, how can one be kind when everything is so expensive!
I. The gods left Shen De a thousand silver dollars, and she bought herself a small tobacco shop with them. But how many people in need of help turn out to be next to those who were lucky: the former owner of the shop and the previous owners of Shen De - husband and wife, her lame brother and pregnant daughter-in-law, nephew and niece, old grandfather and boy - and everyone needs a roof over their heads and food. “The little boat of salvation / Immediately goes to the bottom. / After all, too many drowning people / Grabbed the sides greedily.”
And then the carpenter demands one hundred silver dollars, which the previous owner did not pay him for the shelves, and the landlady needs recommendations and a guarantee for the not very respectable Shen De. “My cousin will vouch for me,” she says. “And he will pay for the shelves.”
II. And the next morning, Shoi Da, Shen De’s cousin, appears in the tobacco shop. Having decisively driven away the unlucky relatives, skillfully forcing the carpenter to take only twenty silver dollars, prudently making friends with the policeman, he settles the affairs of his too kind cousin.
III. And in the evening, in the city park, Shen De meets the unemployed pilot Sun. A pilot without a plane, a postal pilot without mail. What in the world should he do, even if he read all the books about flying in Beijing school, even if he knows how to land a plane as if it were his own ass? He is like a crane with a broken wing and has nothing to do on earth. The rope is at the ready, and there are as many trees as you like in the park. But Shen De does not allow him to hang himself. To live without hope is to do evil. The song of the water carrier selling water during the rain is hopeless: “Thunder rumbles and rain pours, / Well, I sell water, / But the water is not sold / And it is not drunk at all. / I shout: “Buy water!” / But no one buys. / Nothing gets into my pocket for this water! / Buy some water, dogs!”
And Shen De buys a mug of water for his beloved Yang Song.
IV. Returning after a night spent with his beloved, Shen De sees for the first time the morning city, cheerful and giving joy. People are kind today. The old carpet merchants from the shop across the street give sweet Shen De a loan of two hundred silver dollars - this will be enough to pay the landlady for six months. Nothing is difficult for a person who loves and hopes. And when Sun’s mother Mrs. Yang says that for the huge sum of five hundred silver dollars her son was promised a place, she happily gives her the money she received from the old people. But where to get another three hundred? There is only one way out - turn to Shoy Da. Yes, he is too cruel and cunning. But a pilot must fly!
Interludes. Shen De enters, holding a mask and a Shoi Da costume in his hands, and sings “The Song about the Helplessness of Gods and Good People”: “The good ones in our country / cannot remain good. / To reach the cup with a spoon, / You need cruelty. / The good are helpless, and the gods are powerless. / Why don’t the gods declare there, in the ether, / That it’s time to give all the good and the good / The opportunity to live in a good, kind world?”
V. Smart and prudent Shoi Da, whose eyes are not blinded by love, sees deception. Yang Song is not afraid of cruelty and meanness: let the place promised to him be someone else’s, and the pilot who will be fired from it has a large family, let Shen De part with the shop, except for which she has nothing, and the old people will lose their two hundred dollars and lose their home , - just to achieve his goal. This cannot be trusted, and Shoi Da seeks support in a rich barber who is ready to marry Shen De. But&-
nbsp;reason is powerless where love operates, and Shen De leaves with Sun: “I want to leave with the one I love, / I don’t want to think about whether it’s good. / I don't want to know if he loves me. / I want to leave with the one I love.”
VI. In a small cheap restaurant in the suburbs, preparations are being made for the wedding of Yang Song and Shen De. The bride in a wedding dress, the groom in a tuxedo. But the ceremony still does not begin, and the boss looks at his watch - the groom and his mother are waiting for Shoi Da, who should bring three hundred silver dollars. Yang Song sings “The Song of Saint Never’s Day”: “On this day evil is taken by the throat, / On this day all the poor are lucky, / Both the owner and the farmhand / Walk together to the tavern / On Saint Never’s day / The skinny one drinks at the fat one’s house.” . / We can’t wait any longer. / That’s why they should give us, / People of hard work, / The Day of Saint Never, / The Day of Saint Never, / The Day when we rest.”
“He will never come again,” says Ms. Yang. Three are sitting, and two of them are looking at the door.
VII. On the cart near the tobacco shop are Shen De's meager belongings - the shop had to be sold to repay the debt to the old people. The barber Shu Fu is ready to help: he will give his barracks to the poor people whom Shen De helps (you can’t keep goods there anyway - it’s too damp), and write a check. And Shen De is happy: she felt in herself a future son - a pilot, “a new conqueror / Of inaccessible mountains and unknown regions!” But how to protect him from the cruelty of this world? She sees little son a carpenter who is looking for food in a garbage can and swears that he will not rest until he saves his son, at least him alone. It's time to turn into a cousin again.
Mr. Shoi Da announces to those gathered that his cousin will not leave them without help in the future, but from now on the distribution of food without reciprocal services will stop, and those who agree to work for Shen De will live in the houses of Mr. Shu Fu.
VIII. The tobacco factory that Shoi Da set up in the barracks employs men, women and children. The taskmaster - and cruel - here is Yang Song: he is not at all saddened by the change in fate and shows that he is ready to do anything for the interests of the company. But where is Shen De? Where is the good man? Where is she who many months ago, on a rainy day, in a moment of joy, bought a mug of water from the water carrier? Where is she and her unborn child, which she told the water-carrier about? Yi Sun would also like to know this: if he ex-fiancee was pregnant, then he, as the father of the child, can claim the position of owner. And here, by the way, is her dress in the knot. Had the unfortunate woman been killed by her cruel cousin? The police come to the house. Mr. Scheu Da will have to appear in court.
IX. In the courtroom, Shen De's friends (Wai's water carrier, the old couple, grandfather and niece) and Shoi Da's partners (Mr. Shu Fu and the landlady) are waiting for the hearing to begin. At the sight of the judges entering the hall, Shoi Da faints - these are gods. The gods are by no means omniscient: under the mask and costume of Shoi Da, they do not recognize Shen De. And only when, unable to withstand the accusations of the good and the intercession of the evil, Shoi Da takes off his mask and tears off his clothes, the gods see with horror that their mission has failed: their good man and the evil and callous Shoi Da are one person. It’s impossible in this world to be kind to others and at the same time to yourself, you can’t save others and not destroy yourself, you can’t make everyone happy and yourself together with everyone! But the gods have no time to understand such complexities. Is it really possible to abandon the commandments? No never! Recognize that the world needs to change? How? By whom? No, everything is okay. And they reassure people: “Shen De did not die, she was only hidden. There remains a good person among you.” And to Shen De’s desperate cry: “But I need a cousin,” they hastily answer: “Just not too often!” And while Shen De desperately stretches out his hands to them, they, smiling and nodding, disappear above.
Epilogue. The actor’s final monologue before the audience: “Oh, my honorable audience! The ending is unimportant. I know this. / In our hands the most beautiful fairy tale suddenly received a bitter denouement. / The curtain is down, and we stand in confusion - the questions have not been resolved. / So what's the deal? We are not looking for benefits, / And that means there must be some sure way out? / You can’t imagine what for money! Another hero? What if the world is different? / Or maybe other gods are needed here? Or without gods at all? I am silent in alarm. / So help us! Correct the trouble - direct your thought and mind here. / Try to find good ways for good - good ways. / The bad ending is discarded in advance. / He must, must, must be good!”
Retelling - Voznesenskaya T. A.
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Bertolt Brecht
in collaboration with R. Berlau and M. Steffin
a kind person from Sichuan
Parabolic play
Characters
Wang- water carrier.
Three gods.
Shen De.
Shoy Yes.
Yang Song- unemployed pilot.
Mrs. Yang- his mother.
Widow Shin.
Family of eight people.
Carpenter Lin To.
Landlady Mi Ju.
Police officer.
Carpet dealer.
His wife.
Old prostitute.
Barber Shu Fu.
Bonze.
Waiter.
Unemployed.
Passers-by in the prologue.
Scene: semi-Europeanized capital of Sichuan.
The province of Sichuan, which summarized all the places on the globe where man exploits man, now does not belong to such places.
A street in the main city of Sichuan. Evening. Water Carrier Wang presented to the public.
Wang. I am a local water carrier - I sell water in the capital of Sichuan. Hard craft! If there is little water, you have to go far to get it. And if there is a lot of it, the income is small. In general, there is great poverty in our province. Everyone says that if anyone else can help us, it’s the gods. And imagine my joy when a cattle trader I knew - he travels a lot - told me that several of our most prominent gods were already on their way and could be expected in Sichuan any hour now. They say that heaven is very worried about the many complaints that it receives. It’s already the third day that I’ve been waiting here at the city gates, especially in the evening, to be the first to greet the guests. Later it is unlikely that I will be able to do this. They will be surrounded by high-ranking gentlemen, try to get through to them then. How can you recognize them? They will probably not appear together. Most likely one at a time, so as not to draw too much attention to yourself. These ones don’t look like gods, they are returning from work. (Looks carefully at the workers passing by.) Their shoulders are bent from the weights they are carrying. And this one? What a god he is - his fingers are covered in ink. At most, an employee of a cement plant. Even those two gentlemen...
Two men pass by.
...and those, in my opinion, are not gods. They have a cruel expression on their faces, like people who are used to hitting, and the gods have no need for this. But there are three! It's like it's a different matter. Well-fed, not the slightest sign of any activity, shoes covered in dust, which means they came from afar. They are them! O wise ones, dispose of me! (Falls on his face.)
First god(joyfully). Are they waiting for us here?
Wang(gives them something to drink). A long time ago. But I was the only one who knew about your arrival.
The first god. We need an overnight stay. Do you know where we could settle down?
Wang. Where? Everywhere! The whole city is at your disposal, O wise ones! Where would you like?
Gods They look at each other meaningfully.
The first god. At least in the nearest house, my son! We'll try as soon as possible!
Wang. My only concern is that I will incur the wrath of those in power if I give special preference to one of them.
The first god. That is why we order you: start with the nearest one!
Wang. Mister Fo lives there! Wait a minute. (Runs up to the house and knocks on the door.)
The door opens, but it is clear that Wang gets rejected.
(He timidly returns.) What a failure! Mr. Fo, as luck would have it, is not at home, and the servants do not decide on anything without his orders, the owner is very strict! Well, he’ll be furious when he finds out who wasn’t accepted into his house, won’t he?
Gods(smiling). Undoubtedly.
Wang. One more minute! The house next door belongs to Su's widow. She will be overjoyed. (Runs to the house, but, apparently, is refused again.) I’ll do better on the contrary. The widow says that she has only one small room, and it is not in order. I’ll turn to Mr. Chen now.
Second god. A small room is enough for us. Tell her we'll take her.
Wang. Even if it's not tidy, even if it's full of spiders?
Second god. Nonsense! Where there are spiders, there are few flies.
Third god(friendly, Vanu). Go to Mr. Chen or somewhere else, my son, I must admit, I don’t like spiders.
Wang knocks on some door again and they let him in.
Wang(returning to the gods). Mr. Chen is in despair, his house is full of relatives, and he does not dare to appear before your eyes, the wisest ones. Between us, I think there are bad people among them, and he doesn’t want you to see them. He is afraid of your anger. That's the whole point.
Third god. Are we that scary?
Wang. Only for unkind people, isn't it? It is known that residents
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Bertolt Brecht was an outstanding reformer of Western theater, he created new type drama and a new theory, which he called “epic.”
What was the essence of Brecht's theory? According to the author's idea, it was supposed to be a drama in which the main role was assigned not to the action, which was the basis of the “classical” theater, but to the story (hence the name “epic”). In the process of such a story, the scene had to remain just a scene, and not a “plausible” imitation of life, the character - a role played by an actor (as opposed to the traditional practice of “reincarnation” of an actor into a hero), the depicted - exclusively a stage sketch, specially freed from illusion "semblance" of life.
In an effort to recreate the “story,” Brecht replaced the classical division of drama into actions and acts with a chronicle composition, according to which the plot of the play was created by chronologically interconnected pictures. In addition, various comments were introduced into the “epic drama”, which also brought it closer to a “story”: titles that described the content of the paintings; songs (“zongs”), which further explained what was happening on stage; actors' addresses to the public; inscriptions projected onto the screen, etc.
One of the brightest artistic discoveries was the “alienation effect.” Its essence was that an everyday phenomenon was presented in a new light and was now presented as amazing, torn out from the everyday plan of life, “alien.” It also encouraged the viewer to analyze what was being shown at stake. The “alienation effect” was the core that permeated all levels of the “epic drama”: the plot, the system of images, artistic details, language, etc., right down to the scenery, features of acting technique and stage lighting.
1).The play “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” (1945) by B. Brecht is rightfully included in the treasury of world dramatic classics; its texts are quoted as aphorisms. In essence and meaning, “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” is a parable that teaches us kindness and love through the example of enmity and war. But people are not always, but rather very rarely, ready to learn something, just as the characters in the play are not ready for this.
In “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” Brecht used a plot close to the biblical legend of Solomon’s Court, the plot of an ancient Eastern legend about the litigation of two women over a child and about a wise judge who, in a cunning way, recognized the real mother. But he introduced a fundamental innovation into this plot: the judge rejects the claims of the real blood mother, indifferent to the child and pursuing only selfish goals, and awards little Michel to a “stranger” woman who saved his life and selflessly looked after him, being exposed to dangers and hardships. It’s not a matter of blood relationship, but in the interests of the child and society, that is, which of both contenders - the blood or the named mother - will be the best mother for Michel, raising him lovingly and wisely.
This parable about the litigation for Michel, about the fate of Atsdak and his chalk circle is closely connected with another plot motif developed in the prologue, with another dispute - between two Caucasian collective farms about a valley that belonged to one of them, but due to special wartime circumstances it turned out to be cultivated to others.
Thus, from two “private” plots, a generalizing conclusion of enormous historical and socio-ethical significance grows quite organically, and the apotheosis of socialist humanism and the socialist social system is born.
“The Caucasian Chalk Circle” was, in Brecht’s work, perhaps the most perfect and consistent embodiment of the principles “ epic theater" Everything that happens in this play is a story. Not in the conventional sense that this is supposedly a drama, enriched with narrative techniques of the story, but in the most direct and precise sense of the word - the story of the singer Arkady Chkheidze, sitting on the proscenium and telling the Caucasian collective farmers the ancient story of the chalk circle. In this play, Brecht, having completed his quest in this direction, created a special figure of a “storyteller,” or rather, a singer, from whose lips comes everything that the viewer sees on stage. Actually, the narrator here is not just one singer, but a whole “epic group”: a singer plus musicians who also play the role of a choir. The stage action and dialogue here are not an illustration of the story, but are themselves the essence of the story from beginning to end, but a stage story, that is, one in which the means and possibilities of the epic are multiplied by the expressiveness and power of drama.
The stage illusion in “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” is impossible not only because Brecht uses many techniques that destroy the illusion, but also because the viewer, starting from the prologue, is instilled with the consciousness: in front of him there is no genuine people, but the characters of the story, figures created by the imagination and art of the singer, subordinate to his creative will. All the visual possibilities of the epic, inaccessible to traditional drama, are available to the singer. He knows and speaks about what they do not know or cannot say characters. When, after a long separation, the maid Grusha and her betrothed, the soldier Simon, meet under circumstances that seem to indicate Grusha’s infidelity, and both fall silent in confusion, unable to express the feelings that excite them, then the singer, possessing the universal knowledge of the epic poet, from their name delivers rhythmic monologues outlining what they thought but did not say.
On the other hand, the dramatic element in the play is not absolutely dependent and subordinate to the epic element. The singer's power over the characters in the play is limited by the natural logic of their relationships. They were created by him as a narrator, his author's imagination, therefore, they exist in his mind, but he does not exist in their minds. It’s as if they don’t hear or see him; his monologues and “songs” have no influence on their stage behavior. An indicative example in this sense: when the singer asks his heroine, Grusha, a question, it is not she who answers him, but as if he himself, that is, the members of his “epic group”, the musicians:
The questions in this case are addressed to Grusha only conditionally. In fact, these questions and answers are only a form of reflection by the singer about his heroine, about the essence of the image born of his imagination.
The play "Caucasian Chalk Circle" belongs to Brecht's most famous parable plays. She is characterized by the pathos of ethical quests, the desire to find a person in whom spiritual greatness and kindness would be most fully revealed.
Although everything in the play is classically traditional: the plot is not new (Brecht himself had already used it earlier in the short story “The Augsburg Chalk Circle”). But this play is innovative, and its originality is closely related to the main principle of Brechtian realism - “alienation.” Malice, envy, self-interest, conformism constitute the motionless environment of life, its flesh. But for Brecht this is only an appearance. The monolith of evil is extremely fragile in the play. All life seems to be permeated with streams of human light. The element of light is in the very fact of the existence of the human mind and the ethical principle.
2) “A kind man from Sichuan.” Ideological and philosophical content
The play-parable “The Good Man from Sichuan” (1941) is dedicated to the affirmation of the eternal and innate quality of man - kindness. The main character of the play, Shen De, seems to radiate goodness, and this radiation is not caused by any external impulses, it is immanent. Brecht the playwright inherits in this the humanistic tradition of the Enlightenment. We see Brecht's connection with the fairy tale tradition and folk legends. Shen De resembles Cinderella, and the gods who reward the girl for her kindness resemble the beggar fairy from the same fairy tale. But Brecht interprets traditional material in an innovative way.
Brecht believes that kindness is not always rewarded with fabulous triumph. The playwright introduces social circumstances into fairy tales and parables. China, depicted in the parable, is devoid of authenticity at first glance; it is simply “a certain kingdom, a certain state.” But this state is capitalist. And the circumstances of Shen De’s life are the circumstances of life at the bottom of a bourgeois city. Brecht shows that on this day the fairy tale laws that rewarded Cinderella cease to apply. The bourgeois climate is destructive to the best human qualities that arose long before capitalism; Brecht views bourgeois ethics as a deep regression. Love turns out to be just as destructive for Shen De.
Shen De embodies the ideal norm of behavior in the play. Shoy Yes, on the contrary, he is guided only by soberly understood self-interests. Shen De agrees with many of Shoi Da’s reasonings and actions, she saw that only in the guise of Shoi Da can she really exist. The need to protect her son in a world of bitter and vile people, indifferent to each other, proves to her that Shoi Da is right. Seeing the boy looking for food in a garbage can, she vows that she will ensure her son's future even in the most brutal struggle.
Two faces main character-- this is a vivid stage “alienation”, this is a clear demonstration of dualism human soul. But this is also a condemnation of dualism, for the struggle between good and evil in man is, according to Brecht, only a product of “bad times.” The playwright clearly proves that evil, in principle, is a foreign body in a person, that the evil Shoi Da is just a protective mask, and not the true face of the heroine. Shen De never becomes truly evil and cannot eradicate the spiritual purity and gentleness in himself.
The content of the parable leads the reader not only to the thought of the destructive atmosphere of the bourgeois world. This idea, according to Brecht, is no longer sufficient for the new theater. The playwright makes you think about ways to overcome evil. The gods and Shen De are inclined towards compromise in the play, as if they cannot overcome the inertia of thinking of their environment. It is curious that the gods, in essence, recommend to Shen De the same recipe that Mekhit used in The Threepenny Novel, who robbed warehouses and sold goods at a cheap price to poor shop owners, thereby saving them from hunger. But the plot ending of the parable does not coincide with the playwright’s commentary. The epilogue deepens and illuminates the problems of the play in a new way, proving the profound effectiveness of “epic theater.” The reader and viewer turn out to be much more perceptive than the gods and Shen De, who never understood why great kindness was interfering with her.
The playwright seems to suggest a solution in the finale: to live selflessly is good, but not enough; The main thing for people is to live wisely. And this means building a reasonable world, a world without exploitation, a world of freedom.
Current page: 1 (book has 6 pages in total)
Brecht Berthold
Good man from Sichuan
Bertolt Brecht
Good man from Sichuan
Parabolic play
In collaboration with R. Berlau and M. Steffin
Translation by E. Ionova and Yu. Yuzovsky
Poems translated by Boris Slutsky
CHARACTERS
Van is a water bearer.
Three gods.
Yang Song is an unemployed pilot.
Mrs. Yang is his mother.
Widow Shin.
Family of eight.
Joiner Lin To.
Homeowner Mi Ju.
Police officer.
Carpet dealer.
His wife.
Old prostitute.
Barber Shu Fu.
Waiter.
Unemployed.
Passers-by in the prologue.
Setting: the semi-Europeanized capital of Sichuan.
Sichuan Province, which summarized all the places on the globe where
man exploits man; now he does not belong to such places.
A street in the main city of Sichuan. Evening. Water Carrier Wang introduces himself to the audience.
Wang. I am a local water carrier - I sell water in the capital of Sichuan. Hard craft! If there is little water, you have to go far to get it. And if there is a lot of it, the income is small. In general, there is great poverty in our province. Everyone says that if anyone else can help us, it’s the gods. And imagine my joy when a cattle trader I knew—he travels a lot—told me that several of our most prominent gods were already on their way and could be expected in Sichuan any hour now. They say that heaven is very worried about the many complaints that it receives. It’s already the third day that I’ve been waiting here at the city gates, especially in the evening, to be the first to greet the guests. Later it is unlikely that I will be able to do this. They will be surrounded by high-ranking gentlemen, try to get through to them then. How can you recognize them? They will probably not appear together. Most likely one at a time, so as not to draw too much attention to yourself. These ones don’t look like gods, they are returning from work. (Looks carefully at the workers passing by.) Their shoulders are bent from the weights they are carrying. And this one? What a god he is - his fingers are covered in ink. At most, an employee of a cement plant. Even those two gentlemen...
Two men pass by.
And those, in my opinion, are not gods. They have a cruel expression on their faces, like people who are used to hitting, and the gods have no need for this. But there are three! It's like it's a different matter. Well-fed, not the slightest sign of any activity, shoes covered in dust, which means they came from afar. They are them! O wise ones, dispose of me! (Falls on his face.)
First God (joyfully). Are they waiting for us here?
Van (gives them something to drink). A long time ago. But I was the only one who knew about your arrival.
The first god. We need an overnight stay. Do you know where we could settle down?
Wang. Where? Everywhere! The whole city is at your disposal, O wise ones! Where would you like?
The gods look at each other meaningfully.
The first god. At least in the nearest house, my son! We'll try as soon as possible!
Wang. My only concern is that I will incur the wrath of those in power if I give special preference to one of them.
The first god. That is why we order you: start with the nearest one!
Wang. Mister Fo lives there! Wait a minute. (Runs up to the house and knocks on the door.)
The door opens, but it is clear that Van is refused.
(He timidly returns.) What a failure! Mr. Fo, as luck would have it, is not at home, and the servants do not decide on anything without his orders, the owner is very strict! Well, he’ll be furious when he finds out who wasn’t accepted into his house, won’t he?
Gods (smiling). Undoubtedly.
Wang. One more minute! The house next door belongs to Su's widow. She will be overjoyed. (Runs to the house, but, apparently, is refused again.) I’ll do better on the contrary. The widow says that she has only one small room, and it is not in order. I’ll turn to Mr. Chen now.
Second god. A small room is enough for us. Tell her we'll take her.
Wang. Even if it's not tidy, even if it's full of spiders?
Second god. Nonsense! Where there are spiders, there are few flies.
Third god (friendly, Vanu). Go to Mr. Chen or somewhere else, my son, I must admit, I don’t like spiders.
Van knocks on a door again and is let in.
Wang (returning to the gods). Mr. Chen is in despair, his house is full of relatives, and he does not dare to appear before your eyes, the wisest ones. Between us, I think there are bad people among them, and he doesn’t want you to see them. He is afraid of your anger. That's the whole point.
Third god. Are we that scary?
Wang. Only for unkind people, isn't it? It is known that the residents of Kwan province have been suffering from floods for decades - God's punishment!
Second god. How's that? Why?
Wang. Yes, because they are all atheists.
Second god. Nonsense! Simply because they didn't fix the dam.
The first god. Shh! (To Van). Do you still hope, my son?
Wang. How can you even ask such a thing? Just go one more house and I will find you a place to live. Each one licks his own fingers in anticipation that he will host you. Unfortunate coincidence, you know? I'm running! (He walks away slowly and stops hesitantly in the middle of the street.)
Second god. What did I say?
Third god. Still, I think this is a simple coincidence.
Second god. Chance in Shun, chance in Kwan and chance in Sichuan. There is no more fear of God on earth - this is the truth that you are afraid to face. Admit that our mission has failed!
The first god. We may yet come across a kind person. Any minute now. We shouldn't give up right away.
Third god. The decree stated: the world can remain as it is if there are enough people worthy of the title of man. Waterbearer himself is such a person, unless I am deceived. (Approaches Van, who is still indecisive.)
Second god. He is being deceived. When the water bearer gave us a drink from his mug, I noticed something. Here's the mug. (Shows it to the first god.)
The first god. Double bottom.
Second god. Scammer!
The first god. Okay, it's gone. So what's wrong with one with foulbrood? We will also meet those who are capable of living a life worthy of a human being. We must find it! The cry has not stopped for two millennia; it cannot continue like this! No one in this world is able to be kind! We must finally point to people who can follow our commandments.
Third god (Vanu). Maybe it is very difficult to find shelter?
Wang. Not for you! Have mercy! It’s my fault that it wasn’t found right away—I’m not looking well.
Third god. This is certainly not the case. (He returns back.)
Wang. They already guess. (To a passerby.) Honored sir, excuse me for addressing you, but the three most important gods, whose impending arrival has been talked about throughout Sichuan for many years, have now actually arrived and are in need of housing. Do not leave! See for yourself! One glance is enough! For God's sake, help me out! You have a lucky chance, take advantage of it! Offer refuge to the gods before someone intercepts them - they will agree.
The passerby continues on his way.
(Addresses another passerby.) Most Honorable, did you hear? Maybe you have an apartment? Not necessarily luxurious chambers. The main thing is good intentions.
Second passerby. How do I know what kind of gods your gods are? Who knows who you'll let in. (Walks into a tobacco shop.)
Van (runs back to the gods). He will probably agree. (Notices his mug on the ground, looks at the gods in confusion, picks it up and runs away again.)
The first god. This doesn't sound very encouraging.
Van (to a passerby as he leaves the shop). Well, what about housing?
Second passerby. How do you know, maybe I live in a hotel myself?
The first god. He won't find anything. We will also have to cross out Sichuan.
Wang. These are the three main gods! True true! The statues in the temples are very similar to them. If you waste no time in approaching them and inviting them, they may still agree.
Second passer-by (laughing). The swindlers you want to hire must be good. (Leaves.)
Van (swearing after him). Crooked speculator! You are not afraid of God! You will fry in boiling tar for your insensitivity! The gods spit on you! But you will regret it! You will pay until the fourth generation! All of Sichuan was covered in shame! (Pause.) Now only the prostitute Shen De remains, this one cannot say “no”. (Calls.) Shen De!
Shen De looks out from the upper window.
They are already here, I cannot find refuge for them. Can you take them for one night?
Shen De. I'm afraid not, Van. I'm waiting for a guest. But is it possible that you could not find shelter for them?
Wang. Now is not the time to talk about this. The whole of Sichuan is a complete pile of crap.
Shen De. I would have to hide from him when he showed up. Maybe he'll leave then. He also decided to take a walk with me.
Wang. We'd like to go upstairs for now, huh?
Shen De. Just don't talk loudly. Can I be honest with them?
Wang. God forbid! They don't have to know anything about your craft. No, we'd better wait downstairs. But won't you leave with him?
Shen De. My affairs are bad, and if I don’t pay the rent by tomorrow morning, they’ll throw me out.
Wang. At such a moment it is not good to be calculating.
Shen De. Don't know. Unfortunately, the stomach growls even when it is the emperor’s birthday. Okay, I'll accept them.
You can see that she is turning off the light.
The first god. It looks like nothing worked out.
The gods approach Van.
Van (seeing the gods behind him, shudders). The apartment is secured. (Wipes sweat.)
Gods. Yes? In that case, let's go.
Wang. Take your time. Wait a little. The room is being tidied up.
Third god. Then we'll sit down and wait.
Wang. There seems to be too much traffic here. We'd better go to the other side.
Second god. We look at people with pleasure. Actually, we came here for this purpose.
Wang. Yes, but it's drafty here.
Second god. Oh, we are seasoned people.
Wang. But perhaps you would like me to show you Sichuan at night? Shouldn't we take a little walk?
Third god. We've walked enough today. (Smiling.) But if you want us to leave here, all you have to do is tell us.
Are you satisfied now?
They sit on the porch of one of the houses.
Van (falls to the ground at some distance from them; gathering his courage). You will live with a lonely girl. She best person in Sichuan.
Third god. That's good!
Wang (to the audience). When I picked up the mug, they looked at me so strangely. Have you really noticed? I don't dare look them in the eye anymore.
Third god. You are very tired.
Wang. A little. From running around.
The first god. Is life very difficult for people here?
Wang. Good - yes.
The first god (seriously). You too?
Wang. I know what you mean. I am not good. But it’s not easy for me either.
Meanwhile, a man appeared in front of Shen De’s house. He whistles several times
and Van flinches every time.
Third god (quietly, Vanu). It seems he didn't wait and left.
Van (confused). Yes Yes. (He gets up and runs to the square, leaving the jug and mug.)
At this time, the following happened: the man who was waiting on the street left, and Shen De, leaving the house and quietly calling: “Wang,” walked down the street in search of Wang. AND
Now, when Wang quietly calls: “Shen De,” he receives no answer.
She deceived me. I left to get money for an apartment, and I don’t have a place to stay for the wisest. They are tired and waiting. I can’t come to them again and say: there is nothing! My own house is a drainpipe, there is no question of it. In addition, the gods, of course, will not want to live with a person whose fraudulent affairs have been discovered. I won't go back to them for anything in the world. But my dishes were still there. What to do? I don't dare take it. I would rather leave the city and hide from their sight, because I failed to help those whom I worship. (Runs away.)
But as soon as he disappeared, Shen De returned, looking for him on the other side of the street.
and sees the gods.
Shen De. Is it you, the wisest ones? My name is Shen De. I will be glad if you are satisfied with my closet.
Third god. But where has the water-carrier gone?
Shen De. We probably missed him.
The first god. He must have decided you weren't coming and was afraid to come back to us.
Third God (raises the mug and jug). We'll leave it with you. He will still need them.
Led by Shen De, the gods go to the house. It gets dark and brightens again. At dawn the gods come out of the doors of the house. Shen De leads them, lighting the way with a lamp.
They say goodbye.
The first god. Dear Shen De, thank you for your hospitality. We will not forget that it was you who sheltered us. Return his dishes to the water carrier and convey our gratitude for showing us a good man.
Shen De. I'm not kind. To tell you the truth, when Van approached me with a request to give you shelter, I hesitated.
The first god. Hesitation is not a problem if you overcome it. Know that you gave us something more than a place to sleep. Many people, and even us gods, doubted whether good people still existed in the world. In order to find out, we undertook our journey. We continue it with joy, because we have already found one. Goodbye!
Shen De. Stop, wise ones, I’m not at all sure that I’m kind. True, I would like to be like that, but then what about paying for the room? I confess to you: in order to live, I sell myself. But even this way I cannot exist; too many people have to do the same. And now I’m ready for anything, but who isn’t ready for anything? Of course, I would willingly keep the commandments - honoring elders and refraining from lying. Not coveting my neighbor’s house would be a joy for me; being faithful to one man would be a pleasure. I would also not want to use anyone or offend the defenseless. But how to do this? Even breaking the commandments, one barely manages to live.
The first god. All this, Shen De, is nothing more than the doubts of a good person.
Third god. Farewell Shen De! Give your heartfelt regards to the water bearer. He was a good friend to us.
Second god. I'm afraid he had a hard time.
Third god. Be happy!
The first god. The main thing is to remain kind, Shen De! Goodbye!
They turn to leave and nod goodbye to her.
Shen De (frightened). But I'm not confident in myself, wise ones! How can I be kind when everything is so expensive?
Second god. Here we, unfortunately, are powerless. We cannot interfere in economic issues.
Third god. Stop! Wait a minute! If she had some means, it would perhaps be easier for her to remain kind.
Second god. We have no right to give her anything. We won't be able to explain this up there.
The first god. Why not?
They whisper, having a lively discussion.
(Shen De, embarrassed.) We heard that you have nothing to pay for the room. We are not poor people and are able to thank them for an overnight stay. Here! (Gives her money.) Just don’t tell anyone that we gave you money. Otherwise, perhaps, they won’t interpret it that way.
Second god. Still would!
Third god. No, this is allowed. We did not violate anything if we paid for the overnight stay. The resolution says nothing about this. So, goodbye!
The gods quickly leave.
Small tobacco shop.
The shop is not yet fully furnished and not open.
Shen De (to the public). It's been three days since the gods left. They said they were paying me for an overnight stay. But when I looked at what they gave me, I saw more than a thousand silver dollars. I bought a tobacco shop with this money. Yesterday I moved here and I hope that I can do a lot of good. For example, Mrs. Shin, the former owner of the shop. Already yesterday she came to ask me for rice for her children. Today, I see her walking across the square with her pot.
Shin enters. The women bow to each other.
Shen De. Good afternoon, Mrs. Shin.
Shin. Good afternoon, Mademoiselle Shen De. How do you feel in your new home?
Shen De. Fine. How did your children spend their night?
Shin. In someone else's house! If only you could call this barracks home. The younger one is already coughing.
Shen De. Badly.
Shin. You cannot understand what is bad, because your life is good. But you will also have to experience something here, in this little shop. Don't forget - this is a neighborhood of poverty.
Shen De. Yes, but during the lunch break, as you told me, the workers of the cement plant come in?
Shin. Apart from them, no one buys anything, not even the neighbors.
Shen De. When you gave up the bench to me, you didn’t say a word about it.
Shin. The only thing missing is your reproaches! It’s not enough for you that you deprived my children of shelter! And then you irritate me with conversations about the little shop and the beggarly quarter. As much as possible!.. (Crying.)
Shen De (quickly). I'll bring you rice now.
Shin. I would also like to ask to borrow some money.
Shen De (while she pours rice into the pot). I can’t do this, I haven’t saved anything yet.
Shin. I need money. What to live with? You took everything from me and still want to finish me off. I will drop my children on your doorstep, bloodsucker! (Tears the pot out of Shen De’s hands.)
Shen De. Don't be angry, spill the rice!
An elderly couple and a poorly dressed man enter.
Woman. My dear Shen De, we heard that you are lucky. You have become a businesswoman! Imagine, we are without a roof over our heads. Our tobacco shop had to be closed. We were wondering if we could spend at least one night with you. You remember my nephew, right? Here it is, we never part.
Nephew (looking around the room). Nice little shop!
Shin. What kind of people are these?
Shen De. When I came from the village to the city, these were my first landlords. (To the public.) When the pennies that were with me ran out, they kicked me out onto the street. They are probably afraid that I will refuse them. Poor guys.
They are without shelter
Without happiness, without share.
They need support
How can you refuse them?
(Welcome to those who came.) Please, please! I will gladly receive you. True, I only have a tiny room behind the shop.
Man. We've had enough. Don't worry. (Meanwhile Shen De brings tea.) We will sit here so as not to interfere. You must have chosen the tobacco trade in memory of your first refuge with us? We could help you with some advice. That's why they came here.
Shin (mockingly). We must hope that more buyers will appear?
Woman. Is she talking about us?
Man. Shh! Here comes the buyer!
A ragged man enters.
A ragged man. Sorry. I am unemployed.
Shin laughs.
Shen De. How can I serve you?
Unemployed. I heard that you were opening a store tomorrow, and I thought that when they unpack the goods, sometimes something gets spoiled. Do you have an extra cigarette?
Woman. It's too much to beg for tobacco! If only there was more bread!
Unemployed. Bread is expensive. Two or three puffs and I'm a different person. I'm so tired.
Shen De (gives him cigarettes). It is very important to become a different person. Be my first customer. You will bring me happiness.
The unemployed man quickly lights a cigarette and leaves, coughing.
Woman. Did you do the right thing, dear Shen De?
Shin. If you trade like this, you will make a deal in three days.
Man. I bet he had money in his pocket.
Shen De. But he said he had nothing.
Nephew. How do you know he didn't lie?
Shen De (indignantly). How do I know he lied?
Woman (shaking her head). She doesn't know how to say no! You are too kind, Shen De. If you want to keep your shop, learn to refuse when people approach you.
Man. Say she's not yours. Say that it belongs to your relative, who demands an account from you. Is it difficult to say?
Shin. It wouldn’t be difficult at all if it weren’t for the passion to play the benefactress.
Shen De (laughs). Swear, swear! So I’ll take it and refuse you housing and take the rice back too!
Woman (scared). How, is the rice yours too?
Shen De (to the public).
They are bad.
They don't love anyone.
They wouldn't wish a full plate on anyone.
They only know themselves.
Who will judge them for this?
A short man enters.
Shin (sees him and hurries to leave). I'll stop by again tomorrow. (Leaves.)
Little man (shouts after her). Wait, Mrs. Shin! I need you!
Woman. Why does she come here? She has rights over you, or what?
Shen De. There are no rights, but there is hunger, that's more.
Small man. She knows why she is in a hurry to get away. Are you the new shop owner? The goods have already been placed on the shelves! I warn you, how are you there, they are not yours! Until you pay for them! The trash that was sitting here didn’t settle with me. (To the rest.) I’m a carpenter.
Shen De. Aren't the shelves part of the furnishings I paid for?
Carpenter. Deception! There is deception all around! You are, of course, at one with this Shin! I demand my hundred silver dollars if I weren't Ling Tuo.
Shen De. How can I pay if I have no more money?
Carpenter. Then I'll auction them off! This very minute! Either you pay or I sell them!
Man (prompts Shen De). Relative!
Shen De. Can't we wait until next month?
Carpenter (shouting). No!
Shen De. Don't be cruel, Mr. Lin To. I am not able to pay everyone off at once. (To the public.)
A little leniency doubles your strength.
Here the draft horse bent over the grass.
Look past it
She'll pull the cart better.
A little patience in June - and your tree
In August it will bend under the weight of peaches.
Is it possible to live together without indulgence?
A little respite
Helps a great cause.
(To the carpenter.) Be lenient, Mr. Lin To!
Carpenter. And who will be lenient towards me and my family? (Moves one of the shelves away from the wall, as if he wants to take it with him.) Money, or I’ll take the shelves away!
Woman. Dear Shen De, why don’t you entrust this matter to your relative? (To the carpenter.) Write the bill and cousin Shen De will pay.
Carpenter. We know these cousins!
Nephew. Why are you laughing like a fool! I know him personally.
Man. This is not a person, this is a knife!
Carpenter. Okay, let's give him my bill. (He overturns the shelf, sits on it and writes the bill.)
Woman. He'll rip off your last shirt if you don't stop him. Reject claims, whether they are fair or not, because you will have no end to claims, fair or not. Throw a piece of meat into a barrel of garbage, and the dogs of the entire neighborhood will gnaw in your yard. Why do courts exist?
Shen De. He worked and has the right to receive for his work. And he has a family. It's a shame that I can't pay! What will the gods say?
Man. You have fulfilled your duty by sheltering us, this is more than enough.
A lame man and a pregnant woman enter.
Lame (to husband and wife). So here you are! Dear relatives, nothing to say! Drop us on the street corner, beautiful!
Woman (embarrassed, Shen De). This is my brother Wun and sister-in-law. (To both.) Don’t scold and sit quietly in a corner so as not to disturb Shen De, our old friend. (Shen De.) I think we’ll have to leave both of them – my daughter-in-law is already in her fifth month. Or do you have a different opinion?
Shen De. Please!
Woman. Give thanks. The cups are over there. (Shen De.) These would not know where to go at all. What a blessing that you have a shop!
Shen De (smiling, brings tea to the audience). Yes, I’m lucky that I have a shop!
Landlady Mi Ju enters with a paper in her hand.
Landlady. Mademoiselle Shen De, I am the owner of the house, Mrs. Mi Ju. I hope we get along well with each other. Here is the rental agreement. (Meanwhile Shen De reads the contract.) A wonderful moment - the opening of a small trading business, do you agree, gentlemen? (Looks around.) True, the shelves are still a bit empty, but it’ll be alright. Surely you can provide me with some recommendations?
Shen De. Is this necessary?
Landlady. But I don't know you at all.
Man. What if we vouch for Shen De? We have known her since she arrived in the city, and we are ready to vouch for her at any moment.
Landlady. Who are you?
Man. Tobacco merchant, Ma Fu.
Landlady. Where is your shop?
Man. IN this moment I don't have a shop. You see, I just sold it.
Landlady. So. (Shen De.) Is there no one else to give information about you?
Woman (prompts). Cousin! Cousin!
Landlady. You must have someone who will vouch for the one I let into the house. This is a respectable house, my dear. Otherwise, I cannot afford to enter into an agreement with you.
Shen De (slowly, lowering his eyes). I have a cousin.
Landlady. Oh, do you have a cousin? Here in the city? So let's go straight to it. What does he do?
Shen De. He lives not here, but in another city.
Woman. I think you said - in Shun?
Shen De. Mr. Scheu Yes. In Shun!
Man. Yes, yes, I know him very well. So tall and skinny.
Nephew (to a carpenter). It seems that you also agreed with Mademoiselle Shen De’s cousin? About the shelves!
Carpenter (grumpily). I'm just writing out an invoice for him. Here he is! (Hands over the bill.) I’ll come again early tomorrow morning! (Leaves.)
Nephew (shouts after him, glancing sideways at the landlady). Don't worry, your cousin will pay for everything!
Housewife (piercing Shen De with her gaze). Well then! And I'll be glad to meet him. Good evening, mademoiselle. (Leaves.)
Woman (after a pause). Now everything will open up! You can be sure that tomorrow morning she will know everything about you.
Daughter-in-law (quietly, to nephew). Can't stay here for long!
An old man enters, led by a boy.
Boy (over his shoulder). They are here.
Woman. Hello, grandpa. (Shen De.) Good old man! I can imagine how worried he was about us. And the boy, isn’t it, has grown a lot. Eats for three. Who else did you bring there?
Man (looking outside). No one except my niece.
Woman (Shen De). Young, just from the village. I hope this won't burden you? When you lived with us, there weren’t so many of us yet, right? But there were more and more of us. The worse life was, the more was added. And the more they added, the worse life became. Now let's bolt the door, there will be no peace for him. (Locks the doors.)
Everyone sits down.
The main thing is not to interfere with your business. Otherwise, smoke will not rise above the roof of this house. It is necessary to establish order: during the day the younger ones leave, only the grandfather, daughter-in-law and, perhaps, me remain. The rest of us stop by at most once or twice during the day, right? Well, now light the lamp and make yourself comfortable.
Nephew (humorously). If only my cousin, that formidable Mr. Shoy Da, didn’t burst in tonight.
The daughter-in-law laughs.
Brother (reaches for a cigarette). One doesn't matter!
Man. None.
Everyone takes cigarettes and lights up. The brother passes a jug of wine around.
Nephew. Cousin will pay!
Grandfather (seriously, Shen De). Good afternoon
Shen De, embarrassed by this belated greeting, bows. In one hand she
holds the carpenter's account, in the other - the rental agreement.
Woman. If only you could sing something and entertain the hostess!
Nephew. Grandpa will start!
They are singing.
SONG OF SMOKE
Until the whole head became gray,
I thought that my mind would help me get through.
Now I already know that there is no wisdom
A hungry stomach cannot be filled.
Look at the gray smoke.
So you will follow him,
Three skins are skinned for honest work.
I looked and chose a crooked, roundabout one
But our brother was not allowed to move here either.
Now I don't know which way to turn.
And so I say: forget about everything!
Look at the gray smoke.
Everything is colder than the cold to which he goes.
This is how you will follow him.
Niece.
Hopes are not for the old. Hopes need
To create them first. To break them later.
For the young, the doors are wide open. But we are in ways
Through any door we will go into Nothingness.
And so I say: forget about everything!
Look at the gray smoke.
Everything is colder than the cold to which he goes.
This is how you will follow him.
Nephew (to brother). Where do you get your wine from?
Daughter-in-law. He pawned the bag with tobacco.
Man. What? This tobacco was the only thing we still had left! We didn’t touch it even to pay for the night! Pig!
Brother. Are you calling me a pig because my wife is cold? You drank yourself. Now give me the jug!
They are fighting. The tobacco shelves are falling.
Shen De (begs them). Oh, have pity on the bench, don’t break it! This is a gift from the gods! Take whatever you want, but don't break it!
Woman (sceptical). The shop is smaller than I expected. It’s unlikely that we should have told our aunt and others about her. If they hide any longer, it will become very crowded.
Daughter-in-law. And the hostess seemed to become colder!
Screams. Open up! This is us!
Woman. Aunt, is that you? Oh, what should I do?
Shen De. My sweet shop! O my hope! It barely opened and it’s no longer a shop. (To the public.)
Rescue small boat
Immediately goes to the bottom
There are too many drowning people
They greedily grabbed the sides.
Screams (outside). Open up!
Interlude under the bridge.
A water-carrier sits crouched by the river.
Van (looking around). Silence all around. It's been four days since I've been hiding here. They won't find me because I keep my eyes open. I deliberately ran in the direction where they were leaving. Yesterday they crossed the bridge, I heard their steps above my head. They should be far away now, I'm safe. (Lies down and falls asleep.)
Music. The mound becomes transparent, and the gods appear.
(Covering his face with his elbow, as if protecting himself from a blow.) Don’t say anything, I know everything! I didn’t find anyone who would want to shelter you, not a single house! Now you know everything! Move on.
The first god. No, you found it. When you were not there, the one you found appeared. He let us spend the night with him, he guarded our sleep and shone a lamp when we left. You called him a kind man, and he turned out to be kind.
Wang. So it was Shen De?
Third god. Certainly!
Wang. And I, being of little faith, ran away! Only because I thought: she can’t come. She cannot come because her affairs are bad.
O weak one.
A kind-hearted but weak man!
With need nearby, he does not see kindness.
Near danger, he does not see the brave.
O weakness - you are blind to good things!
Oh, the verdicts are too quick! Despair
Which comes too early and easily!
Wang. I am very ashamed, wise ones! The first god. Now, Wang, do us a favor, quickly return to the capital and find the kind Shen De to tell us about her. She feels good now. They say that she got money for a small shop and got the opportunity to follow the orders of her kind heart. Let her understand that you need her help, because a person cannot remain kind for long if kindness is not demanded of him. We will go further in search of people who would be like our good man from Sichuan, in order to finally stop talking about how good people do not find a place for themselves on earth.
The gods disappear.
Tobacconist's.
There are people sleeping everywhere. The lamp is still on. They knock.
Woman (sleepy, gets up). Shen De! They're knocking! Where is she?
Nephew. Probably went to get breakfast. Mister cousin will pay!
The woman laughs and drags her feet towards the door. A young man enters
behind him is a carpenter.
Young man. I'm a cousin.
Woman (in amazement). How? Who you are?
Young man. My name is Shoy Da.
Guests (raising each other). Cousin! But it was a joke, she doesn’t have any cousin! - But then someone came and declared that he was a cousin! - Amazing, this early!
The play is a parable, a moral drama with a simple and clear conflict. Brecht in this case is interested in what good is in modern world. Sh.T. - kind, loving woman, forced to earn a living through prostitution. But happiness once smiled on her, Sh.T. received a reward from the three gods for providing them with an overnight stay. She becomes the owner of a tobacco shop, hoping to be honest and hard-working. But the rich want to take away her small shop, and the poor pester her with requests for alms.
And Sh.T, in order to survive in this merciless world, invents a twin brother, Shui-Ta. From now on, she, having changed clothes, appears in his guise. Shui-Ta is no match for his sister, he is cruel, practical and rude, he disperses the poor and fights back the rich. Then Shui-Ta disappears and Sh.T, who is considered a kind person in Szechwan, returns. But no matter what Sh.T does, everything brings her only sorrow. One day she saves an unemployed pilot, Young Sun, who has decided to commit suicide, and falls in love with him. For a pilot, this is a profitable match. He needs money and the opportunity to fly again. At S.T. there is no such money, and Young Sun, along with his evil mother, places all their hopes on his rational brother SH.T. Shui-Ta, who never shows up on the wedding day, causing the wedding to be upset.
PC. again transforms into the ruthless Shui-Ta, who becomes the owner of the factory, but the poor residents of Sezwan accuse him of murdering his sister. In the court where Shui-Ta ends up, everyone begins to blame each other, and everyone is right in their own way. Sh.T, using her incognito, openly denounces everyone who forced her to pretend. The rich people who mock the poor, the poor people who are ready to ruin the kindest person with their requests, and Sh.T. herself, who is forced to deceive everyone, appear pathetic. To the aid of Sh.T. the gods who provoked this story come. But the falsity of the gods’ help is obvious, Sh.T. stretches out her hands to them, and they disappear, giving her the opportunity to extricate herself. For the playwright, the conclusion is clear: if no one can be happy in a ruthless world, then this world must be broken and a new one built.
The first performance of The Good Man of Szechwan took place in 1943 at the Schausch Pilhaus Theater (Zurich, Switzerland) under the direction of Leonard Steckel. But better known is the 1957 production by Beno Besson, a student of Brecht, at the Berliner Ensemble with Käthe Reichel in the title role.
On April 23, 1964, the Taganka Theater opened in Moscow with the production of “The Good Man from Szechwan”, performed by Yu.P. Lyubimov (previously it was an educational performance of the Shchukin School). Z. Slavina, who played Sh.T., V. Vysotsky, who four years after the premiere received the role of Young Sun, and the entire performance became symbols of the sixties and the sixties.
