Overview
Synopsis
A trio of gods have come to Earth on a fact-finding mission to see if there are any good people left in existence, or if they will need to re-write their commandments and re-make the world. Their journey brings them to the city of Szechuan, where they meet the kind-hearted prostitute Shen Te. As a reward for her goodness, the gods gift her with money that she uses to buy a small tobacco shop, and which sends her life into a spiral of moral ambiguity. As her neighbours seek to take advantage of her generous nature and new-found fortune, Shen Te invents an alter ego: the ruthless Shui Ta. While she masquerades as Shui Ta, Shen Te can protect her life and her business, while also protecting her reputation as a good and charitable person. However, even this persona cannot protect her from her infatuation with a malcontent pilot named Yang Sun, who is determined to use her money to his advantage, even if it ruins her. In the end, it seems that only a literal Deus Ex Machina can save Shen Te from both her good and bad deeds.
One of Brecht’s most challenging “Parable Plays,” The Good Person of Szechuan is a cutting critique of Capitalism and the ways in which money and power impact a society’s morality. Shen Te’s struggle to be good in the face of economic and personal hardship is no less meaningful today than when the play was first performed in 1944.
Show Information
- Book
- Bertolt Brecht
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1943
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Simple/No Set, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Szechuan, China, 20th Century
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Diverse Cast, Large Cast, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters
Context
One of Brecht’s more challenging “parable plays,” The Good Person of Szechuan was written between 1938 and 1941 - just as Europe was on the brink of the second world war. Brecht’s plays were invariably political, and driven by the idea that theatre could be used as a tool for social change. As a result, Good Person gives us a snapshot of the political anxieties of the historical moment in which it was written: the growing tensions between upper and lower classes, between Communism and
to read the context for The Good Person of Szechuan and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Prelude
The play opens on a street in the city of Szechuan where Wang, a water-seller, addresses the audience. He explains his line of work and complains that his business is inconsistent - when there is rain, he makes no money, and when there is drought, he needs to travel long distances to collect water and bring it back for sale. He goes on to say that he has heard a rumour that three gods will be visiting the city on a “fact-finding mission” to see if there are any good people left on
to read the plot for The Good Person of Szechuan and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Old Prostitute, Waiter, Priest, Passers-By, Citizens of Szechuan (8) |
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
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
A second self or different version of oneself.
Theatre that is inspired by the work of Bertolt Brecht, especially in its use of unconventional storytelling, political message, and experimentalism.
An economic and political system in which private owners control trade and industry for profit.
A government and economic system in which people do not own individual property.
A style or genre of drama characterized by realism and an absence of theatrical devices. Often associated with the work of Bertolt Brecht.
A person's system of right and wrong
Medieval plays that pit virtue against vice, usually following the story arc of the temptation, fall and redemption of the protagonist.
A distancing device or defamiliarization effect.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
