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The Life of Galileo

Written by Bertolt Brecht; directed by Colin McColl
Auckland Theatre Company, Auckland, New Zealand

22 June - 10 July 2021

REVIEWS



Michael talked with Liz Gunn at The 13th Floor about playing Galileo,
about the position of science in the world, and about his love for doing theatre.  
 
 

                      
 CAST  
    Priest 1/Ensemble
   Dario Kuschke
Galileo
   Michael Hurst  
Man in a Black Suit/Ensemble
   Nat Dolan
Andrea Sarti
   Ravikanth Gurunathan  
Clavius/Ensemble
   Kalem Leckey
Cardinal Barberini/Mathematician/Pope
   Rima Te Wiata  
Priest 2/Ensemble
   Viivi Crossland
Mrs Sarti/Grand Inquisitor
   Hera Dunleavy  
The Official/Ensemble
   Millie Manning
Virginia Galilei
   Amelia Rose Reynolds  
   
Ludovico/Singer/Border Guard/Ensemble
   Haanz Fa'avae-Jackson  
  CREATIVE
Vice-Chancellor/Angry Cardinal/Vanni
   Cameron Rhodes  
Director
   Colin McColl
Philosopher/Cardinal Bellarmin/Guard Priest
   Ray Ward  
Assistant Director
   Samuel Phillips
Lady-in-Waiting/Singer/The Little Monk
   Bryony Skilliington  
Set Designer
   Sean Coyle
Federzoni
   Taungaroa Emile  
Costume Designer
   Elizabeth Whiting
The Grand Duchess/Ensemble
   Aleisha Merwyn  
Lighting Designer
   Jo Kilgour
Pope Dresseer/Ensemble
   Maia Hapakuku Ratana  
Composer and Sound Designer
   John Gibson
Clerk 1/Ensemble
   Brigit Kelly  
Video Designer
   Harley Campbell

From the Director

The Life of Galileo is often referred to as 'the Brecht play for people who don't like Brecht' and while it's not a parable play like Mother Courage and Her Children, The Caucasian Chalk Circle or The Good Soul of Szechaun, the Brechtian trademarks of bold storytelling, terrific characters, a sprinkling of Marxism and ironic humour are there.

It's a play Brecht (and his many collaborators) reworked several times.  The first German version premiered in Zurich in 1943 in the midst of World War II.  While in exile in California, Brecht and actor Charles Laughton (together with others) worked on an English-language version.  It was eventually presented in Los Angeles and New York (with Laughton as Galileo) soon after the war with Japan ended.  Brecht then created a third version of the script in the early 1950s with his own company, the Berliner Ensemble, set up and funded by the East German communist government.

The Life of Galileo is chock-full of themes - chiefly, a scientist's conflict between blind faith and reason, and the containment and dispersal of scientific knowledge by those in power.  Because state authorities have tended to ignore the findings of scientists, particularly in the last few years, this Brecht play continues to have traction.

Nga mihi to our Auckland Theatre Company Galileo whanau for bringing this huge work to the stage.  Arohanui to my cast and our student actors from the Unitec School of Creative Industries, to my Assistant Director Samuel Pillips, to my stellar design team and, especially to Michael Hurst for taking up the challenge of this huge, legendary role.




Ravikanth Gurunathan (Andrea Sarti); Michael (Galileo)


Ravikanth Gurunathan (Andrea Sarti); Michael (Galileo)


Rima Te Wiata (Mathematician); Roy Ward (Philosopher); Hera Dunleavy (Mrs Sarti); Ravikanth Gurunathan (Andrea Sarti);
Michael (Galileo); Taungaroa Emile (Federzoni); Aleisha Merwyn (The Grand Duchess); Bryony Skillington (Lady-in-Waiting)


Michael (Galileo)


Michael (Galileo)


Michael (Galileo); Bryony Skillington (The Little Monk)

Amelia Rose Reynolds (Virginia Galileo); Ravikanth Gurunathan (Andrea Sarti); Michael (Galileo); Bryony Skillington (The Little Monk)


Ravikanth Gurunathan (Andrea Sarti)


Ravikanth Gurunathan (Andrea Sarti); Bryony Skillington (The Little Monk)


Maia Hapakuku Ratana (Pope Dresser); Rima Te Wiata (Pope); Viivi Crossland (Ensemble)



Michael (Galileo)



Reviews of The Life of Galileo

Theatreview:  "Michael Hurst as Galileo Galilei is magnificent.  We know Hurst, we expect him to be great, but as Galileo he is especially so.  ... At once vulnerable and flawed, hedonistic, enigmatic, wily and strangely likable ... His is an extraordinary performance in its selflessness and in the way he managed to shut everything out that is not essential.  ... See it for the production, for McColl's vision, for Hurst's ever-evolving genius, for Brecht and for the selfless humanity of good theatre"

NZ Arts Review:  "Hurst is on stage for virtually the whole of the play and performs like a supernova exploding with intensity and power, filling the stage with his authority and presence.  The long speeches which in lesser hands would be tedious are given a vividness and power which makes one aware of Brecht's confrontational form of theatre.  ... stellar performance"

Keeping Up with NZ:  "Hurst brings the energy and enthusiasm of scientific discovery to the forefront ... He was excited, funny and practical, then fearful, repressed, desperate and depleted; a little bit of what we've all felt over the last 15 months.  This is simply a must-see Hurst performance".

NZ Herald:  "Hurst has a tricky job, featuring in almost every scene and having the most to chew on, but his restrained performance lasts the distance and slowly takes us through Galileo's struggles ... Ravikanth Gurunathan holds his own opposite Hurst as Galileo's pupil ... and the two are captivating together in the show's climax"

Theatre Scenes:  "Michael Hurst is expectedly strong as the stubborn and passionate Galileo ... Brecht's classic text is brought skillfully to life in ATC's production"