Rabih Mroué and Lina Majdalanie have debuted a theatrical production titled “Four Walls and a Roof” at the Studio Theatre in Edinburgh [1].
The play uses the life of playwright Bertolt Brecht to connect historical political persecution with the modern experiences of people living in exile.
Presented as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, the production examines the era of the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee [1]. By revisiting the Red Scare, the creators link the mid-century atmosphere of suspicion to the contemporary journeys of émigrés moving between cities like Beirut and Berlin [1].
The narrative focuses on Brecht’s legacy and the constraints of political displacement. The production incorporates specific historical references, including a mention of "cold execution" [1].
Mroué and Majdalanie utilize the stage to reflect on how state surveillance and political ideologies shape the lives of those forced to leave their homes. The work positions Brecht not just as a historical figure, but as a lens to view current global migration and political instability [1].
The Studio Theatre serves as the venue for this exploration of exile and identity during the August festival run [1].
“A theatrical production that explores Bertolt Brecht’s life, the Red Scare, and contemporary émigrés.”
By juxtaposing the McCarthy-era Red Scare with modern migration patterns from the Middle East to Europe, the production suggests that the mechanisms of political alienation and state suspicion remain consistent across different eras and geographies.
