Caspar Neher: Brecht’s Designer
John Willett

By Robin Galen Kilrain~

Design. Something that is often the most noticeable element in a production, crucial to the tone, look and feel of a performance, can many times receive little or no mention by critics and audience members. Set designers can feel overlooked, their major contributions to shows seemingly disappearing into the mix. Enter John Willett’s book Caspar Neher: Brecht’s Designer. It offers validation and celebration — both of this particular man’s gifts and, through their acknowledgement, the craft itself. Sure, even here the stage designer must share billing with a more well-known collaborator. But at least, for a change, it’s in the top-billed position.

Although Caspar Neher and Bertolt Brecht were indeed intricately involved with each other’s lives — both as artists and as friends, from the time they attended secondary school together in their native Germany to the time of Brecht’s death — Neher also shone in numerous other theatre-related pairings. This multitalented artist designed sets, costumes and projections for a number of directors, occasionally even trying the latter role himself. He created for straight plays and plays with music; he designed for operas and penned several librettos. He worked on a couple films and one program for television.

That’s a lot to cover in one slight — in size, that is — book. John Willett, however, was the right man for the job. Though based on exhibitions organized in 1986 by the Arts Council of Great Britain, Caspar Neher: Brecht’s Designer is far more than the simple museum guide it might have become if compiled by a less knowledgeable author. Willett was an expert on German theatre of the 20th century and a noted Brecht scholar, writing a number of books on these topics. Therefore, the text accompanying the more than 50 illustrations and photographs in this tome, not surprisingly, illuminates its subject matter thoroughly and with great authority.

Willett opens the book offering a lengthy introduction, with description of Germany’s political climate during Neher’s lifetime (1897–1962) providing historical background to set the scene. Having been considered an expert in that field as well, the author skillfully explores the major role it played in many hard choices made by Neher and his associates. This sets the backdrop for chapters “Designs with Brecht” and “Designs with Others” (Kurt Weill, Erich Engel and Rudolf Wagner-Régeny being notable among the latter group). Short writings throughout these sections, many of them notes by Neher and Brecht, help shine a bright spotlight on the designer’s prolific career. The book closes with a clear and comprehensive chronology detailing milestones in the designer’s personal and professional life.

From Shakespeare to Shaw, from classical to controversial, Neher was involved with theatrical pieces across the board — and across borders — right up until his death. Both with and without Brecht, he invented some stunning staging, melding his skills beautifully with those of colleagues. And providing, for any doubters, yet more rich evidence of the importance of designers.