Lazarus Laughed
Encyclopedia
Lazarus Laughed is a play by Eugene O'Neill
written in 1925. Its sub-title was A Play for Imaginative Theatre. It is a long theo-philosophical meditation with more than a hundred actors making up a masked chorus. In theatrical format, Lazarus Laughed appears to be a Greek tragedy
. But the underlying message is similar to the mystery play
s from the Middle Ages
. O'Neill's play, The Great God Brown
, can be considered as an introduction to this play.
of Bethany
from the dead by Jesus
.
As Lazarus is the first man to return from the realm of the dead, the crowd reacts intently to his words. Over and over again he declares to them that there is no death – only God’s eternal laughter. The more Lazarus laughs, the younger and stronger he becomes. The more he laughs, the older and weaker his wife Miriam (who trusts him but does not understand his laughter) becomes.
The subsequent scenes portray a series of tests (perhaps similar to those trials of Job
) by the Jews, Romans and Greeks to try the faith of Lazarus. Consequently, members of his family are taken from him, but Lazarus continues always to laugh, even as Miriam is poisoned by the Roman Emperor Tiberius
and continuing on to the very end, when Tiberius burns him at the stake.
(Pasadena Community Players) staged the only major production of it, and its world premiere, in 1928, with 151 actors and 420 roles, including Irving Pichel
as the title character.
The smaller scale, but still sizeable, European premiere was staged in 1971 by the American Repertory Theater in Europe (ARTE) with a cast of over 40 mostly student actors performing 150 different roles. "For a bit of extra strength the title role (was) entrusted to Paul Abbott of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco." This touring production was performed (in English) in several ancient outdoor amphitheaters in Italy, including the Teatro Grande in the ruins of Pompeii, Teatro Romano in Verona, and the magnificent Greco-Roman Teatro Antico in Taorimina, Sicily. Performances were also given in the Teatro Romano in Fiesole (near Florence) & Villa Negrone in Lugano, Switzerland. The production attracted large audiences and garnered rave reviews from major Italian newspapers.
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into American drama techniques of realism earlier associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, and Swedish...
written in 1925. Its sub-title was A Play for Imaginative Theatre. It is a long theo-philosophical meditation with more than a hundred actors making up a masked chorus. In theatrical format, Lazarus Laughed appears to be a Greek tragedy
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
. But the underlying message is similar to the mystery play
Mystery play
Mystery plays and miracle plays are among the earliest formally developed plays in medieval Europe. Medieval mystery plays focused on the representation of Bible stories in churches as tableaux with accompanying antiphonal song...
s from the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. O'Neill's play, The Great God Brown
The Great God Brown
The Great God Brown is a 1926 play by Eugene O'Neill. It is noted for its use of masks.-Plot:Dion Anthony and his friend William A. "Billy" Brown are sons of business partners. Both love Margaret, but she falls in love with Dion when he is presented behind a cruel and cynical mask, even though he...
, can be considered as an introduction to this play.
Story
The story features characters and events following the raising of LazarusLazarus of Bethany
Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Saint Lazarus or Lazarus of the Four Days, is the subject of a prominent miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death...
of Bethany
Bethany (Israel)
Bethany is recorded in the New Testament as the home of the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, as well as that of Simon the Leper...
from the dead by Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
As Lazarus is the first man to return from the realm of the dead, the crowd reacts intently to his words. Over and over again he declares to them that there is no death – only God’s eternal laughter. The more Lazarus laughs, the younger and stronger he becomes. The more he laughs, the older and weaker his wife Miriam (who trusts him but does not understand his laughter) becomes.
The subsequent scenes portray a series of tests (perhaps similar to those trials of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
) by the Jews, Romans and Greeks to try the faith of Lazarus. Consequently, members of his family are taken from him, but Lazarus continues always to laugh, even as Miriam is poisoned by the Roman Emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
and continuing on to the very end, when Tiberius burns him at the stake.
Acts and Scenes
- Act One, Scenes One and Two take place in Bethany.
- Act Two, Scene One takes place in Athens. Scene Two is in Rome.
- Act Three, Scenes One and Two are in Tiberius' palace.
- Act Four, Scene One is still in Tiberius' palace. Scene Two is in the interior of a Roman theatre.
Production history
Since the play was first published, it has hardly ever been produced in major theatre venues. The Pasadena Community PlayhousePasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engagements each year.-History:...
(Pasadena Community Players) staged the only major production of it, and its world premiere, in 1928, with 151 actors and 420 roles, including Irving Pichel
Irving Pichel
Irving Pichel was an American actor and film director. He married Violette Wilson, daughter of Jackson Stitt Wilson, a Methodist minister and Socialist mayor of Berkeley, California. Her sister was actress Viola Barry...
as the title character.
The smaller scale, but still sizeable, European premiere was staged in 1971 by the American Repertory Theater in Europe (ARTE) with a cast of over 40 mostly student actors performing 150 different roles. "For a bit of extra strength the title role (was) entrusted to Paul Abbott of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco." This touring production was performed (in English) in several ancient outdoor amphitheaters in Italy, including the Teatro Grande in the ruins of Pompeii, Teatro Romano in Verona, and the magnificent Greco-Roman Teatro Antico in Taorimina, Sicily. Performances were also given in the Teatro Romano in Fiesole (near Florence) & Villa Negrone in Lugano, Switzerland. The production attracted large audiences and garnered rave reviews from major Italian newspapers.
Quotations
- "Tragic is the plight of the tragedian whose only audience is himself! Life is for each man a solitary cell whose walls are mirrors. Terrified is Caligula by the faces he makes! But I tell you to laugh in the mirror, that seeing your life gay, you may begin to live as a guest, and not as a condemned one!" -- Act II, Scene I.
External links
- Text of "Lazarus Laughed" online
- Wei, Wei Wu,"Why Lazarus Laughed: The Essential Doctrine Zen-Advaita-Tantra", Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., London, 1960. http://www.weiwuwei.8k.com/ An interesting book title with a play on words of the title of O'Neill's play.