“The Good Person of Setzuan” is a drama written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht about a poor but kind prostitute in China in the 1940’s. Brecht was living in exile in the U.S. at the time, having fled from Nazi Germany, when he completed the play. It was first presented on the stage in Switzerland in 1943 and published ten years later. By then, Brecht had been interrogated by HUAC as a Communist and left the U.S. the day after. Among his other notable works were “The Threepenny Opera, Mother Courage, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle.” The production on the Wilma stage is from Tony Kuchner’s adaptation in 1997.
Three men arrive in Setzuan, China and seek shelter for the night. They encounter the water seller, Wang (Jungwoong Kim) for recommendations. He tries many places but is turned away until he talks to, Shen Te (Bi Jean Ngo), a young prostitute, struggling financially, who agrees to take them in. We soon discover that these men, dressed as if they are going for a vacation in Miami Beach, are actually gods who have been searching for a good human being. They reward Shen Te’s generosity with enough money to leave her profession and open a tobacco shop- her dream.
She is good towards all, and soon turns her store into a refuge for poor homeless people. Everyone uses her and takes advantage of her kindness until, unable to manage anymore, she creates and disguises herself as her own cousin, her male alter ego. It is a fascinating story. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the loud, absurdist Wilma production, though I did love the set by Steven Dufala.
To begin the show, we meet the water carrier, a kind of narrator. He speaks in Chinese and is translated simultaneously on speakers. I couldn’t understand more than half of what he was saying. On top of that, he is accompanied by drums and chimes and bells throughout, making it even more difficult. The loud musical accompaniment continues throughout the long play. It is three hours and forty-five minutes with only one intermission. It is exhausting, working so hard to understand what is happening.
And although Bi Jean Ngo did a fine job portraying Shen Te and her male cousin (and was perfectly comprehensible when the sound effects were dimmed), the rest of the cast was creating a rather over-the-top ridiculous narration of the story, which I did not fully understand until I got home and read the play. “The Good Person of Setzuan” is a profound piece that deals with the issues of greed and morality. Brecht is also challenging capitalism by suggesting it leads to corruption. I didn’t get this from the production on the Wilma stage. There, I only saw a silly and tiresome presentation by an overacting ensemble. The substance and stories are buried under Director Justin Jain’s heavy-handed direction …. Read it instead.
“The Good Person of Setzuan” by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Wendy Arons, adapted by Tony Kushner at Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-546-7824 wilmatheater.org Thru April 21, 2024
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 