Woodcutters Synopsis
Vienna, circa 1984.
A writer returns from self-imposed exile only to learn of the death of an old friend whose funeral reunites a clique of aging avant-garde artists. At the “artistic dinner” following the funeral, the writer lurks at the perimeter of the room, taking stock of the vulgarity, pomposity, and hypocrisy of the people in whom he had once invested his youthful desire and ambition. Laden with both grief and guilt, the writer condemns the culture industry to which his friend was sacrificed, implicating not only himself but everyone else in her death. Bernhard’s text prompts us to ask: What happens to artistic commitments wrongly cultivated? Who suffers as a result? And what can one do with the bitter insights resulting from compromise and complicity with corrupted collective frameworks?
Join creative team members behind the performance adaptation of Thomas Bernhard’s Woodcutters—Associate Professor Sara Brown, Director Shira Milikowsky, and Dramaturg Lauren K. Wolfe—for a discussion of the performance’s themes.
All are welcome to join this gathering whether they have or have not seen a Woodcutters performance.
Get tickets to Woodcutters performances here.
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Associate Professor Sara Brown, an accomplished theater set designer, teaches MIT students to create and think visually.
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Sara Brown
Associate Professor of Theater Arts
Associate Head, Theater Arts Program
