Saint Joan of the Stockyards: Part One

By Bertolt Brecht

Book Overview

In this version of the story of Joan of Arc, Brecht transforms her into 'Joan Dark', a member of the 'Black Straw Hats' (a Salvation Army-like group) in twentieth century Chicago. The play charts Joan's battle with Pierpont Mauler, the unctuous owner of a meat-packing plant. Like her predecessor, Joan is a doomed woman, a martyr and (initially, at least) an innocent in a world of strike-breakers, fat cats, and penniless workers. Like many of Brecht's plays it is laced with humor and songs as part of its epic dramaturgical structure.

The play, which was never staged in Brecht's lifetime, is published here with a new translation, a full introduction and Brecht's own notes on the text.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0413653307
• ISBN13: 9780413653307
• Release Date: December 2010
• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

St Joan of the Stockyards- Bertolt Brecht

St Joan is one of Brecht's less well-known plays. Set in Chicago, it is the story of Joan Dark and is the modern version of the biblical story, Joan of Arc. Joan is a leader of a religious group, the Black Straw Hats. Throughout the play, she preaches to common-folk and the "meat kings" of Chigago, namely Mauler, Cridle and Lennox. Although criticised, her support for the needy is much appeciated. The play consists of lots of monologues, linked by short sections of dialogue. Joan uses biblical phrases and terms in her preaching such as "Oh ye of little faith" and words like "ordain" and "salvation". The structure of this play makes it ideal to be used for monolgues, after a bit of editing.

Brechts greatest Chicago play

This play, one of Brecht's best if least known, is perhaps the first postmodern classic. It combines the dramaturgy of a tragedy and a comedy and a passion play. It makes an attempt (years before todays financial tv programs) to make the market and its affairs excitingly dramatic. This new translation by Ralph Manheim, arguably Brecht's most accomplished translator, does much to save the text from earlier mistranslations. This year (2001) there will be an all star performance of the new translation in Chicago, the city in whose Stockyards and at whose Board of Trade the Play was originally set. This could be the seminal Brecht performance of the year!