Overview
Synopsis
Arturo Ui is a small-time gangster down on his luck. With the economy depressed and a lack of action within the town, his name has been notably absent from the press. However, he soon comes across incriminating information about the hitherto uncorrupted politician Dogsborough, who has succumbed to temptation and become involved in some dodgy negotiations with the Cauliflower Trust. Ui sees his opportunity. He threatens to expose Dogsborough unless the politician supports him, drawing the old man and the Cauliflower Trust into his violent and controlling world. Ui’s gang are a corrupt protection racket, through which Ui ascends in power and authority. Ui undergoes training to become a convincing politician and his strength lies in his oratory skills and a forceful persona. He is willing to do anything to secure the control he desires. As Ui’s greed and lust for power grow, his means for achieving his goal become more and more brutal. He is so successful in Chicago that he sets his sights higher, looking to expand into the nearby city of Cicero.
Show Information
- Book
- Bertolt Brecht
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1958
- Genres
- Satire, Parody
- Settings
- Period, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- Chicago, 1930s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, High School, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Bertolt Brecht wrote The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui in 1941 while he was waiting for his visa to enter the United States of America. He fled Germany in February 1933, fearing persecution and prosecution. Adolf Hitler had just been appointed Chancellor by President Hindenburg and the Nazi party was steadily taking control of the country. Brecht moved around Scandinavia (predominantly in Denmark) before deciding to move to America.
Brecht intended the play to be first performed in the USA,
to read the context for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Prologue
The Announcer outlines the subject of the play and introduces the characters to the audience.
Scene 1a. Financial district.
Flake, Butcher, Mulberry and Clark, members of The Cauliflower Trust (an association of grocers) are bemoaning the depression and the state of the grocery trade in particular. Their colleague, Sheet, is absent as he’s going from bank to bank desperately trying to raise a loan to keep his dockyard business afloat. Arturo Ui has been waiting in their
to read the plot for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Political theatre intended to agitate and promote a cause, often associated with socialist and revolutionary movements.
The act of coercion through threat, often central to dramatic conflict and manipulation in thrillers or tragedies.
Relating to the theatrical style of Bertolt Brecht, emphasizing social critique and distancing the audience from emotional immersion.
A dramatic style associated with Bertolt Brecht that encourages critical thinking rather than emotional involvement.
A genre or technique that uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize human folly or societal flaws. Satire is common in political and literary theatre.
A production created to showcase the talents of a specific star performer, often tailored to their strengths.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher