Lebensraum Essay, Research Paper

Theatre 100

3/26/01

First Critique

Lebensraum

Lebensraum was one of the most interesting and the most bizarre plays I have ever seen. The plot of the play Lebensraum was very strange, the play was set in present time. The play was about Germans saying the Jews can come back to Germany. The Germans will provide them with work and a place to live. A lot of the Jews thought that the Germans were going to finish what they started with Hitler. At first no one wanted to take Germany up on their offer, until one Jewish family made up there mind and decided to go back, after they knew the Linsky?s were making out good.

The Linsky?s were a hit over in Germany, they have a lot friends and they found out that Michael Linsky got a good job at the docks. A month or two later, a lot of Jews started to return to Germany. There was one ?big? problem that was facing Germany, a lot of Jews were coming over and there was not enough room for all of them. So, after awhile Germany started getting packed with a lot of new Jews and the German’s had promised the Jewish people that they would all have jobs when they got here, this caused a problem.

A lot of the German?s became upset with the new Jewish settlers cause they were getting fired from there jobs allowing the Jews to take them. This made everyone in Germany restless.

After half of a year of working on the docks Michael was promoted to the dock supervisor. When he was promoted someone had to be demoted which made Zev Golem a little mad.

So, Zev Golem the former supervisor got all the German?s that worked on the docks to ?strike.? Zev who was carrying a gun as he was picketing in front of the docks, fired a round. The German police shot him dead.

After this the Jewish citizens of Germany realize that they really weren?t wanted in Germany after all so, they start the move out of Germany and move back to America.

I thought this play was very tacky in a sense. There were only three actors in the play. Seth Reichgott one the actors played 13 different characters. James Goode plated up to 16 different characters. Laurie McCants plays up to 16 different characters. You could actually see them switch there clothes and come out as other character, which I didn?t like. There was no scenery, the only props were a table and chairs. But the actors/actress did a very good job switching to different characters and changing their voices and changing acting styles .

The theme of Lebensraum is that the German?s are trying to make it up to the Jews and have them come back and live in harmony and live as German?s. But, everyone knows that just because the Jews are moving back in doesn?t mean that everything will be back to normal and what happened in the past will be forgotten. There still is a lot of rage between the Jews and the Germans.

There was no background music in Lebensraum . The only music was at the opening of the play. The play was missing was music to tie the whole thing together. There were many sound effects in the play. When they were down by the docks you heard seagulls and people working. When they were walking down by the ocean you could hear waves crashing and birds singing. This helped set the mood for the various location changes.

I thought the acting of the play was very good because the 3 actors had to act for several other characters in Lebensraum. After they were done with one character they quickly ran behind a desk and changed costumes to portray another character. They really changed their costumes quickly, but I did not like the the fact that you could see them changing. If there were more actors in Lebensraum, I think it would have made it less hectic and it would have been outstanding. Also, a little transitional and background music in the play would have made it so much better. Also, If there were a sets on the stage, it would have added greatly to the mood of the play.

I thought the play was entertaining. There were some things missing, in my opinion, that could have made it a better play.