Arturo Ui’s The Resisting Rise, Bertolt Brecht’s darkly comic allegory of authoritarianism is a play that straddles past and present. Written in 1941, it was intended as a warning; a grotesque gangster-inspired retelling of the rise of Adolf Hitler. He bears the caveat that such growth is not, in fact, inevitable—it can be resisted.
In a new production, Mark Gatiss enters the role of Arturo Ui, a character who is simultaneously absurd, funny, evil and terrifying. It’s a piece that delicately walks the tightrope between satire and menace.
So how does a show rooted in 20th century politics play out in Britain today? What does it mean to breathe on stage in an era saturated with political performance and media spectacle? And can satire still function as a warning rather than just an insight?
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