The Good Soul of Setzuan

See it if It is a show that needs attention paid. Brecht writing about Chinese culture.

Don't see it if Can be slow and confusing as well as sloppy at times.

See it if you need to see one of Brecht’s truly great parable plays, even if it’s in an adaptation that squanders the original play’s power.

Don't see it if you are not a big fan of comedy that is so broad that it rarely lands a laugh.

Also I am in favor of adapting the classics. Brecht himself was especially pragmatic when it came to using his sources: He would bend them in whatever way the production at hand demanded. More than a generation ago the great East German playwright Heiner Müller (who would go on to manage Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble) said that to treat Brecht with reverence is to betray him. All that said: Irondale’s current production of “The Good Soul of Setzuan” sacrifices all the power of Brecht’s original lean parable about money & morality by staging it all as the broadest of broad comedies, wink-wink. The loss was considerable & I saw no gain, theatrically or politically.... Read more Read less

See it if you like updated works that comment on the current ills in our society. Some good music and acting help to make one think about these issues

Don't see it if you aren't up for an uneven work that runs long with projections and lots of cast movement on a rather large stage with corny props/costumes

Also Hard-working cast in multiple roles.

See it if You want to support this production including the cast who made a Valiant effort. The 2nd act was much better than the 1st act.

Don't see it if Because the script at times was poorly written. The direction often was amateurish. The play was too long & needed editing in the 1st act.

See it if You like Brecht. You like really long quirky plays.

Don't see it if It's really long. Also, Brecht probably has no business writing a play about Chinese culture.

See it if You’re up for a fun approachable & bare-bones Brecht in a great space, the affable cast playing to & with the audience; fine band & vocals.

Don't see it if You dislike Brecht, allegorical plays or questions like can an honorable soul stay whole in a corrupt world—the answer may not be satisfying

Also The Irondale Ensemble Project has been at it for years, filling a need in its community through its outreach, education and socially conscious calendar of performances. Their space is terrific, and their energy and warmth hark back to the early days of experimental theatre in New York, when bare bones and imagination were the norm and spurred creativity.

This Good Soul is certainly not everyone’s Brecht, but a good attempt by a worthwhile company.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy Brecht and don’t mind some updates

Don't see it if You don’t like actors playing multiple roles or audience interaction

See it if It's funny. It's a little long. The cast are all having a blast, and that's infectious. There are video elements that enhance the experience

Don't see it if rather than detracting from it. It's worth your time, but it's probably not going to be the best play you see this year.

See it if into an improvisational-style interpretation of a classic.

Don't see it if a purist, or allergic to indulgence.

Also There is a great interpretation hiding here:
- the base concept works, providing context and framework for telling the story through mostly improvisational style.
- some wonderfully resonant moments by versatile actors.

But alas:
- at almost 3 hours in this preview, there were too many boring moments. If taking liberties, why not speed it up?
- the quirky songs became irritating when the show dragged on. Remember Rogers & Hammerstein's usage of songs to push the plot? Not here...
- Brecht's message is universal but simplistic - better keep it to Brecht's time; where a clever hint will do, this production tries too hard to mention current events. Guys - your audience is made of aware New Yorkers -- I assure you they know where evil lurks nowadays.... Read more Read less

See it if Well acted,directed,@times slow dealing w/ a basic human issue:how to stay a good person in a money centered society. Themes of identity,*

Don't see it if Unfamiliar w/Brecht's play;u don't mind cuts of an hour to original script,nor mind that play leaves more quest than ans: typical of Brecht

Also *success, failure, wealth & poverty.

I really enjoyed audience involvement.
Music: Brecht using songs often to keep audience grounded,focusing often on realism rather than escapism.

Brecht sets the play in China so that he
can employ several ideas from Chinese theatre.Moreover, poor Chinese town 1940s mirrors western cities in 1940s.

The story is abt three gods who came to earth in search of a truly good person.They find Shen Teh, a good-hearted but penniless prostitute to whom they give some good money.
Will she be able to survive as a good person, w/ money now, in a corrupt society ? The gods set a trial. Will the gods find the solution to the impossible situation ? Finally, they ask a relevant
question,"Do you believe a trial w/o
witnesses is fair ???????"... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a group of good actors attempt to translate and interpret a complex piece to make it More relevant. It is great at times.

Don't see it if If you don’t want to sit the ough a long show. It is choppy and doesn’t work well all if the time. It takes some effort but some is great!

See it if You would enjoy a modern retelling of the classic yet relevant theme of being good to fellow mankind.

Don't see it if You don’t enjoy reinterpreted versions of classic productions.

Also This was a very quirky production with certain original dialogue maintained along with several updated and incorporated scenes throughout. I did enjoy the live music and the profoundness of what is considered being a good person to others.... Read more Read less

See it if a very game effort to deal with a famous and famously difficult to produce play

Don't see it if not everything works

See it if (Already closed) You want something different and more serious than theusual community theater stuff (theater was in Brooklyn).

Don't see it if You like plays that have resolutions. You like more traditional theater

Also I was afraid that this would be too absurdist or avant garde but it worked and actually touched on the political situation in China in the 1930s although the play was meant as allegory. I went partially to help me deal personally with the question of the play "How can one be good and not be taken advantage of?" but the show provided no answers except to say that trying to put on a phony tough defense does not work for too long.
All acting was good and I was especially impressed by the leads Carolyn Baeumler and Joey Collins.
In Life of Gallileo I marvelled at Collins' incredible energy. Here I marvel at his range as he played several characters very well. I hope he goes places.... Read more Read less

See it if Like plays with complicated story lines and if you like live music included in the show.

Don't see it if If you would rather see a show with a more easy to follow subject line with a more extravagant setting.

See it if ...you like interpretations that stick close to the original plot., committed actors, story theater style.

Don't see it if Too long. No dramatic tension. If you want big production values this is not for you.

See it if You like Brecht told in a sort of modern way. This production had great acting but the writing was confusing. It was a little too long

Don't see it if you like a tidy story with a clear message

Also The second act was better than the first. I enjoyed the contemporary messages but would have liked more... Read more Read less

See it if you want to have fun with that old dark Brecht. These people are like the good old days of theater: energetic and full of love.

Don't see it if you want polish, sets, costumes and refined acting. This is seat of your pants fun...wth a message.

See it if you're looking for a community atmosphere-type show with live music and an earnest effort.

Don't see it if you're looking for a coherent night of theatre that has something to say. Also don't see it if you actually want to see Brecht's work.

Also The most prevalent thing I can say about this show is that it is very, very weird. The concept on the website purports that the play is staged in Brecht's workroom where he wrote the play, and they do follow through on this from the beginning, but it quickly dissolves into a very confusing mess. This review would go on too long if I noted every single weird little distraction, but the most succinct thing I can say is that felt like a devised theatre piece based around Brecht's original play. This was my first experience with the play, but there are times when they definitely inserted their own dialogue, and in many cases, it felt like they were paraphrasing what the original text might have said. They had a very clear point, but I would argue their point wasn't much of a point. They pointed out the inherent bad in the world, and that was it. They didn't offer solutions or ponder the subject, they simply state the problem. If there was a bigger point, they did not execute it well.... Read more Read less

See it if you like plays that pull in the audience, have actors wearing multiple hats, and make points on current political events.

Don't see it if you find it difficult to keep track of which character an actor is playing and find 2 1/2 hour plays long. But the acting is enthusiastic!

See it if You want a quiet unusual night at the theater in Brooklyn.

Don't see it if If you don't like Brecht