Complete Theater (Vol. 2)

Complete theater , all the works of the great playwright Bertolt Brecht in a new edition.

Bertolt Brecht is considered one of the greatest figures in 20th-century drama, and his work changed and broadened the perception of theater's social function. The German author believed that presenting strange situations could foster audiences' distance from reality, thereby transforming how people interacted with the world while also encouraging critical thinking. As a result, society would become more conscious and politicized. This is just one of the premises of his epic theater, which, among other qualities, is capable of revealing something about individuals and society—making his works essential reading.

The 12-volume edition of Bertolt Brecht's Complete Theatre was born from a critical review of existing translations by renowned translators and aims to provide an accurate Portuguese-language version of the German writer's dramatic output. The plays are organized chronologically and are based on texts from the renowned editions by Suhrkamp, a prestigious German publisher.

Volume 2 brings together the following texts: “In the Jungle of Cities” (1921-1923), translated by Fernando Peixoto, Renato Borghi, Elisabeth Kander and Wolfgang Bader; “The Life of Edward II of England” (1923-1924), translated by Antonieta da Silva Carvalho and Celeste Aida Galeão; “A Man is a Man” (1924-1925), translated by Fernando Peixoto; and “The Baby Elephant”, translated by Fernando Peixoto.

“One of the greatest playwrights in the history of world theater […].” – Portal Globo

“Brecht, above all, is a great poet.” – Zé Celso Martinez Corrêa, director, actor and playwright

"Brecht is increasingly timeless. The further history progresses, the greater the need to think of theater that points to the future, and there's no way to do that without going through Bertolt Brecht." – Amir Haddad, director and actor

“Brecht was an artist who adjusted the theater’s clock to modernity.” – José Antonio Pasta, USP professor and literary critic