The price of goodness in CSUN’s ‘The Good Person of Setzuan’
The front entrance of the Experimental Theatre, located in the Theatre Wing of The Soraya complex, was filled with a variety of students and families awaiting the spectacular performance that was about to take place. “The Good Person of Setzuan,” presented by the CSUN Theatre Department within the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication, sold out opening night on Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and closed on Sept. 27.
The parable, written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht, adapted by Tony Kushner and directed by Shanna Beauchamp, raised questions about morality and survival, encouraging people to reflect on the good intentions we hold within ourselves.
The story centers around a sympathetic prostitute named Shen Te, played by Julia Sawyers, who stumbles upon three gods searching to find a good person willing to shelter them for the evening. After she kindly offered them a place to stay, they rewarded her with a vast sum of money to make good decisions in Szechuan, intended as a gift and a test. As expectations start to weigh heavily on her, she devises an alter ego to gain authority over her immoral neighbors and lover.
Although the story takes place in China, it was intended for the audience to interpret the message based on their own experiences, regardless of diversity. This is one of the many compelling messages of this play; it encourages audiences to think critically about the decisions made in real life. What does it mean to be good in a world that is unethical and corrupted to the point where one constantly needs to blend in to survive?
This idea was intended by Brecht to challenge audiences and encourage them to view the world from a different perspective. Rather than disappearing into the illusion of theatre, he invented epic theatre to break the illusion by motivating audiences to critically analyze social and political issues. He also aimed to keep his audience engaged by having the characters address the audience, breaking the fourth wall and interrupting the story to provide context through narration.
Fascination inspired Beauchamp to direct this play. After her third production at CSUN, she was given the opportunity by Dan Weingarten, the chair of the theatre department, to direct this remarkable production.
She said she was excited about the opportunity and the challenge of bringing it to life.
“Dan, the chair, asked me if I wanted to do this, and I’ve always wanted to because it’s incredibly difficult, and I really enjoy challenging myself as a director,” Beauchamp said. “I wasn’t sure if I could do it, so that was what made me excited about it – it’s incredibly challenging, it takes a lot of people, and it’s a very unique style, and we did, so I’m kind of feeling on top of the world of that challenge right now.”
She also felt proud of the scenic design showcased on stage, developed by Tom Buderwitz. “We wanted to create a world that was basically held together by tape and bubblegum,” Beauchamp said.
It’s definitely one of the elements that makes this production stand out, as it immerses audiences into the world of Szechuan. It also gives actors the ability to utilize the stage to maintain audience engagement.
The actors delivered emotional authenticity to their characters. Despite the cast having a limited amount of time, each of them performed with naturalism and nuance that the audiences could easily see themselves in each character.
This was one of the highlights actor Maegan Fellner encountered when dissecting her character, God #2. She said the character traits of God #2 were similar to hers.
“God #2 is definitely the one that doesn’t want to be there, and it was fun to have an outlet for being a little bit like that – feeling a little bit better than the others, like I’m the one who knows my stuff,” Fellner said. “I do feel like that’s one of my weaknesses. My personal flaws are that I do think that I’m better or smarter than others. It was fun to embody that onstage.”
Fellner had more experience acting in Shakespearean plays in the past, and found it interesting to participate in a production that differed from a Shakespearean drama. However, there was a moment during the beginning of production when Fellner encountered an obstacle with the script.
“If I’m being honest, I read the script and I didn’t necessarily think like, ‘Oh my god, this is going to be so fun, this is going to be really cool,’ and it wasn’t until we really started dissecting the show, looking at what it means, who the characters are and bringing life to the show, that I became really excited about it,” Fellner said.
There were several surprising moments in the show that caught the audience off guard, but the ending was the most impactful due to its unresolved conclusion. It provoked questions about the fate of Shen Te and the situation she has put herself into.
After the show, senior student Karen Lee discussed her favorite highlights of the performance, the set design and the refreshing concept, but also expressed her dislike towards the ending.
“I think it’s really new, because the way the stage was arranged was right in the middle, and all of the actors were coming from four directions, so that’s like the first time I saw something like that,” Lee said. “I like the story a lot too, I just don’t really like how it ended because she’s still suffering.”
“The Good Person of Setzuan” is an allegory that critiques human nature and capitalism, while also exploring complex themes of survival, morality and greed. It encourages audiences to reflect on their morals, given that the world today has moments of cynicism.
For more information about the program and upcoming productions this fall, visit the CSUN Theatre Department website.
