Word: danton
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...hint at the sex and violence of “Danton’s Death,” the Georg Büchner drama which runs on the Loeb Mainstage through April 10. Set during the Reign of Terror, the play follows the downfall of Jacobin leader Georges Danton (Benjamin T. Clark ’09), who becomes disenchanted with the Revolutionary Government and is subsequently sent to the guillotine by the power-hungry Maximilien Robespierre (Felix L. J. Cook ’13). The show—though bolstered by a number of solid performances—is ultimately...
...play—directed by James M. Leaf ’10—opens with the bloodthirsty enthusiasm characteristic of the early days of the French Revolution. “Only cowards die for the Republic,” Danton thunders to a crowd of eager peasants. “Jacobins kill for it!” This violent passion in Danton’s early days finds a corollary in his sexual appetite. An unabashed patron of whorehouses, the Revolutionary leader immerses himself fully in the sensual pleasures of life, even cheekily noting, “What...
Eventually, however, Danton grows disillusioned with his decadent lifestyle, halfheartedly declaring, “We didn’t make the Revolution—the Revolution made us.” Originally a haphazardly charismatic character, Danton grows embittered when his initial quests for pleasure through women and wine start to feel like the listless idles of a cynic. Even in his final hours, Danton proves remotely unmoved by his impending demise; he reflectively admits one dark night, “I am merely flirting with death—it’s all empty noise, bravado...
Unfortunately for Danton, this newfound disillusionment proves deadly, as the infamous Robespierre refuses to stand for his political and ideological subversion. Easily the most chilling presence on stage, Cook is the picture of abstemiousness—his severely prim, impeccably polished demeanor matched by his trimly-tailored gray suit. His carefully reasoned and perfectly elocuted speeches to the peasants are punctuated with raucous cries of agreement, which make many of his scenes evoke the structure of a preacher’s call-and-response sermon...
Months after the Tribunal’s creation, however, Danton realizes its awful power which is responsible for the deaths of many innocent French citizens. He fights to end its reign of terror, a choice which eventually leads him to the guillotine...