The Good Woman of Szechuan
Wu Wei Theater of Frankfurt

Synopsis of Scenes

 

Prologue: A Street in the Capital of Szechuan

Evening. Wang the water seller introduces himself to the audience. He is awaiting the arrival of three gods who are coming to earth in response to rumors that humanity has seriously deteriorated. If they can only find one good person to take them in for the night, they can return home, reassured. Wang will help them find shelter.

Scene 1: A Small Tobacco Shop

"Song of the Smoke"

Shen Te has taken the gods in and has been rewarded with enough money to open a small tobacco shop. Soon a series of people arrive to ask her for money and shelter: the former owner Mrs. Shin and a homeless family of eight. Others come on business, including the landlady who demands a high rent that Shen Te cannot afford.

Scene 2: Shui Ta appears in the Tobacco Shop

Shen Te is at her wit's end. The only defense she can think of is to disguise herself as her own manly and authoritative cousin Shui Ta who can protect her from the freeloaders. He succeeds in removing the family of eight but the landlady persists in her demand for the rent. A policeman suggests that Shen Te marry so as to get the necessary capital to pay off her debts.

Interlude:Wang, the waterseller and the gods under the bridge.

Scene 3: Late evening in the harbor

"Song of the Suicide" and "Song of the Waterseller Wang"

Shen Te meets the unemployed and despairing flyer Sun. She falls in love.

Scene 4. Square in Front of the Tobacco Shop.

The barber Shu Fu has become attracted to Shen Te. An elderly couple next door lend Shen Te the money for her rent. Mrs. Yang, the mother of the unemployed flyer Sun begs Shen Te to give the money to her so that she might buy a position as a pilot for her son. Shen Te/Shui Ta tries to sell the shop so as to raise the money for her love, the pilot.

INTERMISSION

Scene 5. In the Tobacco Shop

Shen Te meets Sun who demands the money for his job in Peking. Under the guise of Shui Ta, Shen Te finds out that Sun has no intention of taking her along to Peking.

Scene 6: Shen Te's Tobacco Shop: The barber Shu Fu has a proposal

"Song of the Plum"

Shen Te is in depair. The barber Shu Fu offers her a check and his barracks so that she might pay off her debts and house the homeless people around her. She refuses at first. Then, noticing that she is pregnant by Sun, she imagines what it will be like to have a little son. She accepts Shu Fu's offer in the interests of her child.

Scene 7. Shui Ta's Tobacco Factory

"Song of the Eighth Elephant"

Shen Te/Shui Ta has set up a small tobacco factory in Mr. Shu Fu's shacks. The homeless are all working in the shop. Sun has spent the old people's money but has not gotten his pilot job. Shui Ta employs him as foreman in the shop. Shen Te is very pregnant and has trouble maintaining her disguise as Shui Ta. Shui Ta is accused of murdering Shen Te.

Interlude: Wang's Night Lodging

For the last time the gods appear to the water seller in a dream. They are greatly changed. After their long wanderings, exhaustion and all manner of bitter experiences have left their mark.

Scene 8: Courtroom

"Song of Gods Disappearing on a Cloud"

The gods put Shui Ta on trial for the disappearance of Shen Te. Shui Ta reveals the disguise. In shock, the gods disappear on a pink cloud.