Brecht Collected Plays: 1: Baal; Drums in the Night; In the Jungle of Cities; Life of Edward II of England; & 5 One Act Plays: "Baal", "Drums in the Night", "In the Jungle of Ci (World Classics) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Theater, produced by Brecht, with Berliner Ensemble.
1954
March: first performance by Berliner Ensemble in Theater am Schiffbauerdamm as an independent State Theatre. March:
The Threepenny Opera
(English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein) begins a long run in New York. 15 June:
Caucasian Chalk Circle
German première at Theater am Schiffbauerdamm; produced by Brecht, with Berliner Ensemble. July: International Theatre Festival, Paris. Berliner Ensemble production of
Mother Courage
.
1955
Illustrated war verses:
Kriegsfibel (War Primer)
. 12 January: J. R. Becher’s
Winterschlacht
produced by Brecht and Wekwerth, with Berliner Ensemble. June: Second International Theatre Festival, Paris, Berliner Ensemble production of
Caucasian Chalk Circle
.
1956
14 August: Brecht dies in East Berlin, of a heart infarct.
 
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
,
The Visions of Simone Machard
and
Schweyk in the Second World War
were neither published nor produced during Brecht’s lifetime. They were published in the
Stücke
edition in 1957 and produced in Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Warsaw respectively the same year.

Baal

     
    To my friend George Pfanzelt
    Translator
: PETER TEGEL
Characters
    Baal, poet ‧ Mech, merchant and publisher ‧ Emilie, his wife ‧ Dr Piller, critic ‧ Johannes Schmidt ‧ Pschierer, director of the water rates ‧ a young man ‧ a young woman ‧ Johanna ‧ Ekart ‧ Luise, a waitress ‧ the two sisters ‧ the landlady ‧ Sophie Barger ‧ the tramp ‧ Lupu ‧ Mjurk ‧ the nightclub singer ‧ a pianist ‧ the parson ‧ Bolleboll ‧ Gougou ‧ the old beggar ‧ Maja, the beggarwoman ‧ the young woman ‧ Watzmann ‧ a waitress ‧ two policemen ‧ drivers ‧ peasants ‧ woodcutters
    HYMN OF BAAL THE GREAT
    Baal grew up within the whiteness of the womb
    With the sky already large and pale and calm
    Naked, young, endlessly marvellous
    As Baal loved it when he came to us.
    And that sky remained with him through joy and care
    Even when Baal slept, blissful and unaware.
    Nights meant violet sky and drunken Baal
    Dawns, Baal good, sky apricottish-pale.
    So through hospital, cathedral, bar
    Baal trots coolly on, and learns to let them go.
    When Baal’s tired, boys, Baal will not fall far:
    Baal will drag his whole sky down below.
    Where the sinners herd in shame together
    Baal lies naked, soaking up the calm.
    Just the sky, but sky to last for
ever
    Hides his nakedness with its strong arm.
    And that lusty girl, the world, who laughs when yielding
    To the man who’ll stand the pressure of her thighs
    Gives him instants of a sweet ecstatic feeling.
    Baal survives it; he just looks and sees.
    And when Baal sees corpses all around
    Then a double pleasure comes to him.
    Lots of space, says Baal; they’re not enough to count.
    Lots of space inside this woman’s womb.
    Once a woman, Baal says, gives her all
    She’ll have nothing more, so let her go!
    Other men would represent no risk at all.
    Even Baal is scared of babies, though.
    Vice, says Baal, is bound to help a bit
    And so are the men who practise it.
    Vices leave their mark on all they touch.
    Stick to two, for one will be too much.
    Slackness, softness – that’s what you should shun.
    Nothing’s tougher than pursuing fun.
    Powerful limbs are needed, and experience too
    Swollen bellies may discourage you.
    Baal watches the vultures in the star-shot sky
    Hovering patiently to see when Baal will die.
    Sometimes Baal shams dead. The vultures swoop.
    Baal, without a word, will dine on vulture soup.
    Under mournful stars in our sad vale of trouble
    Munching, Baal can graze broad pastures down to stubble.
    When they’re cropped, into the forest deep
    Baal trots, singing, to enjoy his sleep.
    And when Baal’s dragged down to be the dark womb’s prize
    What’s the world to Baal? Baal has been fed.
    Sky enough still lurks behind Baal’s eyes
    To make just enough sky when he’s dead.
    Baal decayed within the darkness of the womb
    With the sky once more