Schweyk in the Second World War (2009)

Poster by Mark Davies

by Bertolt Brecht, translated by William Rowlinson

Directed by James Hough

Performances: Tuesday 19th to Saturday 23rd May 2009, Prompt Corner

Introduction

This play derives from Jaroslav Hašek’s satirical and unfinished novel The Good Soldier Švejk, with Brecht transporting the tale from the First to the Second World War. The play is mostly set in Prague, the then the capital of the German Third Reich’s “Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia”’; it is 1942 and the German army’s doomed drive to capture Stalingrad is underway.

Most of the scenes occur within The Chalice, a pub in Prague (Schweyk’s “regular”). However, we also have scenes in the Gestapo HQ, Hitler’s HQ, the Prague railway yards, a military prison and the frozen steppes of Russia on the approaches to Stalingrad.

Cast

(in alphabetical order)

• SS-Obersturmführer Bullinger / Wehrmachtdekan Bullinger / Officer at Hitler's HQ / Czech Prisoner / Singing Panzer Trooper - David Blatcher
• Mr Schweyk – Alan Brown
• Der Führer des Großdeutschen Reiches, Adolf Hitler - Alan Buckman
• Reichsmarschall (and Reichs Minister of Aviation, Forestry etc etc) Hermann Göring / SS-Schütze Müller II / Customer at the Chalice / German Soldier, Prague Goods Yards (off stage voice) / Mr Vojte / Russian Peasant / Deserting German Soldier / Singing Panzer Trooper: Sean Chapman
• Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler / Customer at the Chalice / Agent, German Department of "Woluntary Var Verk" / Czech Prisoner / Singing Panzer Trooper - Nick Conway
• German Soldier - Derek Dempsey
• Kati / "Lady" in Hitler's HQ / Mobile Squad to HQ Trooper No. 1 – Lena Feindt
• Young Prochazka / SS-Schütze (Prague Goods Yards) / Czech Prisoner – James Furlong
• German Soldier - Stuart Grimwood
• Heinrich Himmler / SS Officer (Prague Goods Yards) / German Soldier / Deserting German Soldier / Singing Panzer Trooper - Stefan Lorett
• Mrs Kopecka – Jenny McLaughlin
• Mr Baloun – Peter Medd
• Geheime Staatspolizei Agent Brettschneider / Generalfeldmarschall Von Bock ("Der Sterber"), Kommandant, Heeresgruppe Süd / Heer Doctor / Singing Panzer Trooper: Christopher Vian-Smith
• Anna / "Lady" in Hitler's HQ / Mobile Squad to HQ Trooper No. 2 / Customer in the Chalice – Karen Webb (mistakenly referred to as "Anna Webb" in the programme owing to idiot director)
• And Lux, Mr Vojte's dog - played by himself

And (last night only)

• SS-Schütze at the Chalice - James Hough

Crew

• Stage Manager - Graham Clements
• Assistant Stage Managers - Derek Dempsey and Stuart Grimwood
• Lighting design - James Webb
• Sound design - Kevin Leech
• Lighting and sound operator - Induja Bandara
• Scenic artists - Hazel Hindle and Michael Wilson
• Costumes - Lisa Thomas
• Choreographer - Anna York
• Lighting rigger - Karen Webb
• Poster - Mark Davies
• Set and prop construction - Mark Ireson, Graham Clements and the crew
• Show photography - John Sansom

Reviews

Some review quotes go here

Gallery

John Sansom's photographs of the play can be seen here

Reminiscences and Anecdotes

Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.

References

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