THEATER OF WAR

Meryl Streep, Tony Kushner, George C Wolfe, Jay Cantor, Carl Weber. 

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As evidenced with his film How to Draw a Bunny, director John Walter is no stranger to examining the work of artists. With Theater of War, he moves from the pop artistry of Ray Johnson to the epic theater of Bertolt Brecht.

Unending war and those who profit from it are among the chief concerns of Brecht's timeless Mother Courage and Her Children, so it is perhaps unsurprising that Manhattan's Public Theater chose to stage an outdoor production of this famously bleak epic play during the summer of 2006. Boasting a new translation by American playwright Tony Kushner, the project attracted the likes of Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and famed theater director George C. Wolfe, all of whom are featured in this exclusive look at the staging of this provocative work.

For all his unfettered backstage access, Walter is not merely invested in capturing the preparations for the show. Themes of Marxism, consumerism, and war mix seamlessly with Brecht's tumultuous life and career throughout the film, and particularly poignant moments involve Brecht's daughter, his friend and collaborator Carl Weber, and in one particularly memorable scene, extended footage of Brecht's testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Segments showcasing Streep's searing performance as Mother Courage provide a never-before-seen glimpse into her in process and culminate in a powerful statement that speaks volumes about the age we live in today. Walter gives us an intimate look at the creative process, but Theater of War is much more than a trip behind the curtain: It's an engaging and comprehensive look at war, capitalism, and their brutal necessity for one another.

John Walter directed and edited How to Draw a Bunny, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and was a 2003 Independent Spirit Award nominee for best documentary. Born in Detroit, he now lives in New York City's East Village with his wife Adriane Giebel.

 

 

“In his inspired, inspiring essayistic documentary John Walter jumps from art to history and politics and back again, from the theater of the streets to the theater of the stage… While the movie is about a particular staging of Mother Courage, it is also about the war in Iraq, theater (and bicycle riding) as social protest, the necessity and futility of art, and the agonizing human failing that Mother Courage gives voice to in “The Song of the Great Capitulation.”

There is much to admire in a movie in which intelligent adults — like Carl Weber, who, as a former Brecht assistant, offers insight into his working habits — discuss art as if it matters (because it does)… But because this is also a document of an actress actually at work, much of the movie's pleasure comes from watching another brilliant performance take shape as Meryl Streep tries out different line readings, gestures and poses in her search for Mother Courage. Taking their cue from Brecht, Ms. Streep and the rest of the laboring artists in Theater of War refuse to “let it be.” You don't get the sense for a moment that they believe a play can end a war, even one born in flames, but that doesn't mean they're going to stop hauling their own weight.” — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times 
Read full review in The New York Times

"Meryl Streep Stands Out as Musical Theater Great" — Village Voice

"Offering Meryl Streep fans a very rare opportunity to watch the actress' process (which she distastefully likens to showing a house's plumbing instead of its architecture), Theater of War is a must-see documentary for theater lovers that should easily reach a wider audience." - Ronnie Schieb, Variety

“In the field of documentary, John Walter has emerged as the medium’s most eloquent and entertaining cultural historian.” – Nick Dawson, Filmmaker Magazine

“For anyone interested in the continuing relevance of theater in a society dominated by momentary electronic impulses, in the responsibility of artists in wartime and in the greatest anti-capitalist, anti-government, antiwar and anti-romantic playwright of the 20th century, Walter's cool, capable, stimulating exploration is a must. Scenes of Streep, Wolfe and the cast in rehearsal are fascinating, and I especially appreciated Walter's wry, Brechtian digressions into the less-heralded work of the costumers and prop-makers.” – Andrew O’Hehir, Salon