By Maria-Nefeli Andredaki,
Another Saturday night, and specifically, my birthday Saturday, found me roaming the bustling streets of Athens, among great company, to watch a play I have been trying to get a hold of for more than two years. That’s right, “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” by Brecht, directed by the renowned Aris Biniaris, has been attracting sold-out audiences at the ARK theatre for three years in a row! Do you know how hard it was to find tickets?! It was truly a gift that I got to spend my birthday watching what I can only describe as the best adaptation I have ever seen in my life.
The performance, which received rave reviews, manages to highlight the timeless relevance of the play in a highly modern and caustic way. Biniaris focuses on the essence of the original text, highlighting the mechanisms that led to the rise of fascism. Brecht’s play tells the story of Arturo Ui, a gangster who manages to take hold of Chicago’s cauliflower market through violence, terrorism, and populism. With the help of his gang, Arturo Ui takes advantage of the economic and political climate of his time in order to create a chaotic and unsafe environment in which he is presented as the hero. It is a direct parallel and parody of Adolph Hitler’s rise to power and showcases in an unabashed way the worst aspects of humans. Through the story of Ui, Brecht denounces the mechanisms that led to the rise of fascism. He highlights the responsibility of politicians, economic elites, and the media, which, through their indifference or complicity, allow tyranny to prevail.
I think it is important to mention that I had read the play a few days before watching it. To say that I was shocked at how accurate and simultaneously unique this adaptation was would be an understatement. The director used a great translation by K. Palaiologos and, with the addition of original songs, managed to amplify the meaning of the text. Something that stood out to anyone watching was the use of the actors’ facial expressions, especially of those who portrayed the gangsters, in a way that resembled animal-like movements. To my mind, it painted a clear picture of fascism as something deeply illogical and unhuman, born from our most primal animalistic instincts that bring out the worst in people. This, along with Ui’s delivery of his words, which was almost rap-like and barely letting you think or catch on to their actual meaning, truly portrayed how fascism spreads and takes root in societies, even in our time.
What was not included in this adaptation was the epilogue of the original text, which was my one complaint. I honestly urge you to see this play if you can get tickets somehow. The intimate space of the ARK theatre in the center of Athens is the perfect place to be on a Saturday night (even on your birthday!).
Reference
- Ο Άρης Μπινιάρης ανεβάζει την «Άνοδο του Αρτούρο Ούι» του Μπρεχτ με τον Γιώργο Χρυσοστόμου στο καινούριο Θέατρο ARK στην Κυψέλη. Elculture. Available here
