The choice is simple: Communism or death.
But for Russian Futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, this choice only begins to scratch the surface of his complex relationship with the Soviet philosophy.
Tonight, the play “The Death of Mayakovsky” delves into this very topic when it opens at the Macgowan Little Theater. The play, which is written and directed by visiting professor David Bridel, showcases 11 graduate students in UCLA’s graduate acting program.
“The Death of Mayakovsky” follows the life and tragic death of Mayakovsky, whose life of love, literature and political liberation ultimately lead to his untimely suicide in 1930 at age 37.
The play examines two sides of Mayakovsky’s life: his love affair with Lilya Brik, who was a married woman at the time, and his relationship with Communism.
“This play explores these two stories; they’re both contributors to why he killed himself,” Bridel said. “And in some ways, the play explores whether one was more important than the other as a motive to that suicide.”
To accurately portray this dual personality, Bridel has arranged for two separate actors to embody each role ““ an unusual take on the play. One actor represents Mayakovsky’s romantic self, while the other reigns as a political activist.
“David has this specific idea in his head, and it’s working very well,” said Bonnie Anderson, a fourth-year theater student and the production’s stage manager. “He knows what he’s doing, and he’s got a very interesting point switching the two characters back and forth.”
During each performance, two pre-chosen strangers from the audience, who have never seen or heard of the play, will assume the roles of narrator in the production.
Throughout the entire show, the two audience members will sit on stage and read a few lines from a computer screen that clarify and bring new understanding to the plot.
“They read lines that help us to understand where we are and when we are,” Bridel said. “And then as the play evolves, it becomes a little more mysterious and involved when we find out that those two volunteers are actually, shall I say, more integrated in the story then they might have been ““ this is a strange hook.”
Incorporating unprecedented theater behavior into a play is a bold move by Bridel, but such a twist breaks down the barriers between audience member and professional actor.
“There are several scenes in the play where actors are working within the audience, so there are a lot of exchanges across the footlights,” Bridel said.
“It’s a sort of lively way to examine how audiences and actors can sort of interrelate and not be so straightforward,” he added. “This is a bit more raucous certainly in some places. It should be fun.”
Techniques aside, Bridel’s main goal in this production is not to push the boundaries of theater, but to decipher what drove Mayakovsky to his demise.
“Critics and scholars have long argued about why he killed himself ““ why does anybody do anything?” Bridel said. “But when it comes to suicide, people always want to know why.”
Though his adulterous behavior with Brik is a seemingly legitimate reason for mental stress, the fact that he called himself a Futurist connotes a heavy load.
Futurism, which predates the period of surrealism and cubism, contains notes of anarchy.
In keeping with the philosophy, Futurist artists would perform outrageous stunts to challenge social conventions and norms in Soviet Russia. With wooden spoons hung from their lapels, artists would hold literary performances on street corners and indulge in taunting acts involving rotten fruit in hopes of gaining the public’s attention.
This type of behavior will be reflected in various scenes throughout the play to convey more than a philosophy, but to demonstrate the relationship between artists and government regulation.
“I’ve always had a fascination with artists of that time in the Soviet Union,” Bridel said. “I think it’s difficult for us in this day and age to appreciate that there are cultures and times when artists must say what they feel or be killed if they don’t.”
It may be hard to wrap one’s mind around the idea that an artistic movement such as futurism could influence drastic measures such massive murder. Yet thousands of writers, musicians, and performers were killed in their sleep by Stalin’s secret police because of the challenging theories portrayed in their art.
“It’s definitely fascinating to look at a time where politicians paid any attention to artists,” Bridel said. “When a government is worried about what an artist is saying or doing, it’s a whole different story and a very interesting one.”