Synopsis
- THE BRIG is an act of rebellion. The founders of The Living Theatre, Judith Malina and Julian Beck, were among the initiators New York’s first General Strike for Peace in May 1963. It follows that they were the ones to take up ex-marine Kenneth Brown’s manuscript and bring it to the stage in 1964. The viewer becomes a part of a claustrophobic world where there is no escape from the intrinsic violence. The Living Theatre, with their moving attack against a sacred institution like the Marines, became public enemies for American Officaldom. In Europe they found a second home especially in the Berlin Akademie der Kuenste in the 1960s. In 2007, the Living Theatre decided to revisit The Brig to protest against any form of violent governance, a sad fact that has not changed in the intervening decades. The new production struck a nerve in the present day and won at the New York Obie Awards for group and direction. The European premiere on 30. April 2008, was the opportunity to capture the present strength of the piece and to document its historical meaning. The film directors are able to show the inner life of the group. These views are built into the filmed representation of the piece at interval in order to give the viewer other modes of observation. The original music and sound designs from Patrick Grant expand the sensory impact in a way that goes far beyond simple documentary.
Crew
- Director: Karin Kaper, Dirk Szuszies
- Director of photography: Ferdinand Teubner
- Editor (Cut): Werner Bednarz
- Composer: Patrick Grant
- Production company: Karin Kaper Film
Festivals
- (2009) Kinostart November 2009
