Theater of War

In Theater of War, filmmaker John Walter explores the topic of political theater, examining a 2006 revival of Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children presented by NYC's Public Theater in Central Park. Artistic director Oskar Eustis chose the work, which originally took shape in battle-scarred Berlin, due to its echoes with the Iraq War. Divided into five thematic acts, the film alternates between interviews with the principal cast (including Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline) and crew, excerpts from the play, and scenes of protest from Brecht's time to the present. Other highlights include home movie clips of Brecht with his family and footage of his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. One of the most fascinating aspects of this multi-layered work is watching Streep try out various approaches to the role of Mother Courage (“I'm the voice of dead people, I'm the interpreter of lost songs,” the actress says). Although Streep describes the process of finding her character as clunky and awkward, acting students will surely appreciate this look at her working methods. Mother Courage adapter Tony Kushner says, “Theater has a power, but it's a very indirect power.” An interesting meditation on theater as social protest, as well as the necessity and (often) futility of art, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)