Ernst Toller (1921)
Translated from German by Ashley Dukes (1923)
Play Structure
A prologue and five acts
Cast Breakdown
24 MEN (+ extras) and 4 WOMEN (+ extras)
Running Time
N/AGenre
"a typical Expressionist historical drama in its combination of realism and Expressionism."
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119991604/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
"a more realistic play based on the Luddite disturbances"
http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/ewb_15/ewb_15_06424.html
"one of the most widely performed leftwing plays of the interwar period."
http://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CX5297-TracesofMagma.pdf
Brief Bio
Born in 1893 to a wealthy Jewish family in Samotschin, in the Prussian province of Posen (now part of Poland), Toller attended a German military-oriented school where many of his writings were published. Later, he enlisted in German army during WWI (artillery unit) and after some time was released for nearly breaking down physically and mentally due to the horrors he faced in the trenches. Afterwards he expelled from college and joined a trade union in Munich, where he led a strike of 8000 munitions workers. This landed him in jail and then sent back to the army only to be discharged yet again. In civilian life, he was an activist in political upheavals and was arrested for treason. There he wrote many plays including "The Machine Wreckers." After his release, he was considered one of the best up and coming playwrights. This noteriety landed him many jobs including a short time at MGM in America. Toller hung himself in his hotel room in New York after hearing that his brother and sister were arrested in Germany and sent to concentration camps.
Publication Info
Katharine Weberkatweber@snet.net
http://www.katharineweber.com/
Licensing and Rights
Katharine Weber
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