A Kick-Ass Production of Woyzeck

Inspired by Isaac's half-posting about Woyzeck.

My Concept for a Kick-Ass Production of Woyzeck

by Matthew Freeman

Woyzeck is about German Peas. The seeds, one might say, of Germany.

Which seeds did Buchner lay in Germany in 1837? His own. He died and fertilized Germany, long before the play was ever finished or performed. Peas are brought forth from the soil. Hence: Buchner's own body is a part of the great soilmother from which the peas of early productions of Woyzeck must have been birthed. The peas are the issue of Buchner's own deathwomb.

So... when we see Woyzeck eating peas, we can see him as eating from the loam of Dead Buchner. Why not cut out the bullshit though? Why not have him eat a life-sized replica of Buchner ON-STAGE and have the body labeled "PEAS!?"

Christ, am I not the only one that sees the post-modernist metatheatrical possiblities of this?

I see, as I sculpt this in my own mind, a bare stage and a man dressed in a loin cloth. He is eating his own author, and behind him, his love sings "Inch by Inch/Row by Row/Gonna make this garden grow" over and over, as the lights change and the music becomes more and more foreboding. Then, when she gets to the part of the song that goes "Old Crow a-Sittin' on a tree / got his hungry eyes on ME" ... WE KNOW SHE MEANS THAT HE'S BEEN DRIVEN MAD!!!

Other characters will be performed with puppets. tm