Rock band Placebo is set to make its mark on the theatre world by scoring a new production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, which will premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in April.
In this darkly comedic play, written in 1941 and based on the rise of Adolf Hitler to power in 1930s Germany, a Chicago mobster named Arturo Ui seeks to dominate the city's vegetable trade through sheer force and intimidation. This production marks the band's first foray into theatre, and they've stated that Brecht's cautionary tale feels "more urgent and prescient" than ever.
The RSC has announced Mark Gatiss as its lead actor in the title role, with Placebo contributing an original score that director Seán Linnen described as "glitteringly expansive, darkly seductive and deeply theatrical."
For Placebo's Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal, this production was a unique creative challenge. They drew inspiration from themes of power, alienation and moral decay, which are central to Brecht's work.
The band has released eight studio albums over the years and have enjoyed several Top 5 singles in their gothic rock-infused music career. This new venture marks an exciting departure for them as they bring their unique sound to a different art form.
In a broader cultural context, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui offers a timely commentary on today's world, tackling the growing threat from far-right movements both domestically and internationally. As Linnen noted, "As artists, it is our job to speak up and out."
In this darkly comedic play, written in 1941 and based on the rise of Adolf Hitler to power in 1930s Germany, a Chicago mobster named Arturo Ui seeks to dominate the city's vegetable trade through sheer force and intimidation. This production marks the band's first foray into theatre, and they've stated that Brecht's cautionary tale feels "more urgent and prescient" than ever.
The RSC has announced Mark Gatiss as its lead actor in the title role, with Placebo contributing an original score that director Seán Linnen described as "glitteringly expansive, darkly seductive and deeply theatrical."
For Placebo's Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal, this production was a unique creative challenge. They drew inspiration from themes of power, alienation and moral decay, which are central to Brecht's work.
The band has released eight studio albums over the years and have enjoyed several Top 5 singles in their gothic rock-infused music career. This new venture marks an exciting departure for them as they bring their unique sound to a different art form.
In a broader cultural context, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui offers a timely commentary on today's world, tackling the growing threat from far-right movements both domestically and internationally. As Linnen noted, "As artists, it is our job to speak up and out."
! I mean, can you imagine that raw energy of theirs translating to the stage? It's going to be intense 
. Mark Gatiss is a genius choice for Arturo Ui too - he'll bring so much depth to the character. And a new score from Placebo? Absolutely 
. Their music is already dark and moody, but I can only imagine how it'll add an extra layer of complexity to Brecht's themes 
. Can't wait to see this production come together and hopefully do some justice to Brecht's timeless warning... about the dangers of extremism, anyway 
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I mean, isn't it kinda weird that Placebo is getting into theatre? Like, they're a rock band, right? 
But at the same time, I think it's actually kinda cool that they're trying something new. The fact that their original score is going to be "glitteringly expansive" and "darkly seductive"... yeah, that sounds pretty interesting 
... but isn't that just gonna clash with Bertolt Brecht's whole "darker themes" vibe? 
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The fact that they're tackling themes of power, alienation, and moral decay in their score is really interesting - it'll be fascinating to see how they interpret those themes through music.
Mark Gatiss is going to crush it as Arturo Ui too. It's awesome that the band is using their platform to comment on some really important issues like far-right movements. They're not just musicians, they're artists who want to make a difference. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this one and can't wait for the premiere! 
. Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal are super talented, and their original score is gonna add this whole new level of depth to the production. I'm all about artists speaking out and using their platforms for change – it's dope to see Placebo taking on Brecht's classic work in such a bold way 
. Can't wait to catch this show! 
This is gonna be super interesting to see Placebo bring their dark soundscapes to the theatre scene! I mean, Brian Molko's vocals are all about that brooding vibe, so I can already imagine how intense their score is gonna be for this production. The fact that they're drawing inspiration from Brecht's themes of power and alienation makes total sense - it's like they're speaking truth to power in a different way. 
... wait, nope, I mean it's gonna be EPIC! 
placebo's Brian & Stefan are literally geniuses for tackling Brecht's themes of power & alienation in their own unique way... it's gonna be so lit! 
, they're actually venturing into theatre and bringing Brecht's dark comedy to life. I mean, who would've thought? The idea of Brian Molko's vocals adding that edgy, theatrical vibe to the play sounds like a winner 
. Brecht's work has always been about social commentary, so it's fitting they're tackling far-right movements with their production. Definitely looking forward to seeing how Placebo brings this dark comedy to life on stage 
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"! MARK GATISS AS ARTURO UI IS GONNA BE AMAZING, I CAN ALREADY IMAGINE HIM BRINGING THAT CHICAGO-STYLE MOGLIARITY TO THE ROLE 
. AND PLACEBO'S SCORE... OH MAN, I HOPE IT'S AS ELECTRIFYING AS THEIR LIVE SHOWS