Hoppla, Wir Leben! by Ernst Toller translated by Herman Ould

The action of the play takes passes in many countries eight years after the suppression of a rebellion period 1927

Hoppla is really wonderful. It opens with 7 people in prison sentenced to death for their participation in the revolution. They share a cigarette and contemplate death, and escape. It seems hopeless but at the last minute they are spared and set free. One man isn't freed and one man spends the next 7 years in a mental institution. The story starts properly when he is freed.

Beatrix's character is the young woman revolutionary Eva Berg. At 17 Eva was sentenced to death and was there with her boyfriend, Karl Thomas. When Karl finds her later she is 24 and working in a factory, she is brought before the executive because she has been addressing women's rights in the factories. She is unrepentant in her desire to stand up for what she believes in. When her lover returns to stay with her she says she doesn't want him there. She refutes her claims that she is his, that sex has to mean anything but that there are far more significant things in the world. She returns having lots her job and agrees to go away with him as she can't do anything now, her frustration at being a woman in a relationship is summed up in the last line of Scene II,"You speak for both of us? Nothing has changed". Unfortunately, Eva is arrested off screen shortly after that and disappears for most of the rest of the play while there is a vote, an assasination attempt and a lot of talk about politics and philosophy.

I find it interesting that the critics made such a big deal about the visuals in the performance. In the script they appear only between change of scenes, and not every scene. I imagine they would be quite mood setting. The piece is much more dialogue heavy and character and politics driven than a little bit of scenery dressing. Perhaps the critics didn't want to get involved in the political discussions so focused on that. It is interesting to see that when a political play did manage to get past the censors it was still not discussed as a political play. It was as if the press was afraid to comment on that part of it. It's a shame there is no audience reaction that can be determined.

Eva returns only at the end of the trial,
Judge: I have two questions to ask you. Did the prisoner live with you?
Eva Berg: Yes.
Judge: Were his relations with you of a punishable character?
Eva Berg: What a childish question! Do you belong to the fifteenth century?
Judge: I wish to know if you had sexual relations with the prisoner.
Eva Berg: Will you fist tell me what unsexual union is? ...
p, 125

Karl Thomas: I love you, Eva
Eva Berg: Even at a moment like this, I mustn't lie to you.
P. 126

It was interesting, though the messages were a little muddled. It seems that everything was doomed to corruption and hopelessness, though always a reprieve at the end. It is disappointing that the women didn't have more to do and were absent for so much. But it was still an interesting read.