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A History of the Berliner Ensemble by David Barnett (review)

David Barnett’s history of the Berliner Ensemble (BE) provides an in-depth history of the company that Brecht established in 1949, shortly after settling in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It offers profound historical insights into the artistic development of the BE over the fifty years from its founding under Brecht and Helene Weigel to 1999, the very eve of the tenure of its current Intendant (general manager), Claus Peymann. Although the BE is still a functioning company, Barnett gives compelling reasons for limiting his history to these five decades: as he asserts in his conclusion, Peymann’s takeover of the company “was the point at which the BE as such ceased to be the BE” (445). Barnett’s study presents valuable perspectives on why and how this came to be the case.