University Theatre presents Brecht's "Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui"

Starring an ensemble cast of various drama students, University Theatre will present the play “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” to the general public this weekend.

Starring an ensemble cast of various drama students, University Theatre will present the play “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” to the general public this weekend.

Written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht, the play highlights main character Arturo Ui’s rise to power as a mobster. Ui uses his newfound power to intimidate and murder his way into the role of a mob boss in 1930’s Chicago. Along with his various henchmen, Ui then moves on to do the same in other towns of the United States.

“He [Brecht] kind of sheds light on the ridiculousness of Hitler’s rise and the blindness of the public in the way that people can be manipulated,” acting junior Brooke Reynolds said.

The play is a satirical allegory for the rise of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. Several characters in the play parallel key figures in that historical time period such as Arturo’s parallel to Hitler. Key characters that parallel real historical figures include Ui’s henchman Ernesto Roma who portrays Ernst Röhm, Dogsborough who portrays Paul von Hindenburg, Emanuele Giri who represents Hermann Göring and Giuseppe Givola who depicts Joseph Goebbels.

“It has so many different elements to it,” Reynolds said. “There’s a lot of spectacle to the whole production that’s fun to watch.”

Throughout the play, the audience sees Ui transform from a charming, charismatic Chicago mobster into a ruthless, murderer that sieges the town. The ironic title “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” highlights the point that Ui’s inevitable rise to becoming a murderer is partly due to the fault of the people.

“I hope people get the message of the play,” acting junior Matthew Percival said. “This play shows just how culpable the people are in this situation as well. They let him become Hitler.”

Although the play features serious subject matter, it also has a comedic theme throughout it. The production displays a prominent circus theme. This element lends audience members laughs while still maintaining an air of seriousness, Reynolds said.

The audience will also experience entertaining technical elements to the play, such as snare drums for gun-shots, says Percival.

“The subject is such dark material, but we’re in a circus so it’ll be nice to see how the audience perceives that,” acting sophomore Kasey Weir said.

(Infobox?) Evening performances run at 8 p.m. on Feb. 8, 9, 14-16 in Weitzenhoffer Theatre. Afternoon performances run at 3 p.m. on Feb. 10 and 17. Tickets can be purchased at the OU Fine Arts Box Office in Catlett Music Center. Prices are $22 for adults, $18 for senior and military adults and $14 for OU faculty, staff, and students.

Collier McKinnis

Collier is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as Life & Arts Reporter.