2001
Author: Bertold Brecht
Director: Arne Sybren Postma
Brecht’s classic play, performed in German, with decor by Ben Stolk, and music composed by Floris van Bergeijk. Performed in theaters throughout the Netherlands, and with great success at a number of schools.
“Was eine Aufführung von ‘Mutter Courage’ hauptsächlich zeigen sollte: Daß die großen Geschäfte in den Kriegen nicht von den kleinen Leuten gemacht werden. Daß der Krieg, der eine Fortführung der Geschäfte mit anderen Mitteln ist, die menschlichen Tugenden tödlich macht, auch für ihre Besitzer. Daß er darum bekämpft werden muß”
Bertold Brecht
Brecht wrote his anti-war piece Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder in 1939 in Denmark, after fleeing there from the nazi-regime. He criticized the attitude of the Scandinavian countries, who stood to profit a great deal from the iron trade with Germany, and in doing so were digging their own grave. The clever Mutter Courage, trading as she follows armies and profiting off war, loses her children one by one to that same war. The morality of the story, one that is very clear today, was mostly missed by the premiere-audience in Zürich: Instead of leaving the theater in dismay, shaking their heads at the stupidity and misplaced mother love, it seemed that the people saw in Mutter Courage a heroine.
Cast
Hennie Spronk as Mutter Courage
Coca Román van Dongen as Kattrin
Jacob van Mourik as Eilif
Armin de Kooning as Schweizerkas and Der Bauer
Jaap Parqui as Feldwebel, Feldhauptmann, Der mit der Binde, and Fähnrich
Willemijn Ages as Weberin, Schreiberin and Die Bäuerin
Corné Versteegh as Koch
Coen van Onselen as Feldprediger
Anke Teunis as Yvette Pottier
Rob de Vries as Obrist
Manon Waterneus as Soldat
Floris van Bergeijk composition and Piano
Ester Kurtz Hobo and Saxophone
Jaap Parqui Accordeon
