The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1993)

 

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

by Bertolt Brecht

Translation by
James & Tania Stern
with W. H. Auden

17-20 February 1993, at the Mill Studio, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Prologue – A Northern mining town 1907.

The play is set in and around the palace and countryside of Grusinia.

Director's Note

Written in 1943, the Caucasian Chalk Circle is one of Brecht's most successful and popular plays. It is a simple story – a noble child is abandoned in the confusion of a palace revolution, rescued and spirited away by a kitchen maid, later captured and returned to its “natural” mother. In the final scene Azdak, the roguish judge, must decide the ate of the child. Brecht uses this simple plot as the vehicle for his great parable on the rights of ownership.

Brecht was most insistent that the play should not be performed without the prologue – in other words it should be a play within a play. The original prologue concerned the rebuilding of Russia after the Nazi occupation and, at the time, was a pertinent introduction to the moral issues in the play. For this production I have updated the prologue to reflect more contemporary concerns.

CAST & CREW

CAST

Dave Clegg – Man from the Ministry for Mines

John Dobing – Governer / Innkeeper / 1st Man / Monk / Farmer / Old Man / Grand Duke / Rider

Jonathan Thorpe – Adjutant / Ironshirt / Stableman / Yussup / Shauva

Rob Thomson – Simon Crowd / Architect / Servant / Guest / Invalid

Dave Webb – Azdak / Ironshirt / Peasant / 2nd Man / Stableman

Bob Horn – Ironshirt / Servant / Chef / Old Man / Corporal / Guest Bandit / Adjutant / Fat Prince / Blackmailer

Tony Musitano – Ironshirt / Lavrenti / Doctor / 2nd Lawyer

Rob Welch – Crowd / Ironshirt / Neighbour

Graham Webb – Singer

Angelina Riley – Crowd / Grusha

Berry Winter – Servant / Fat Woman / Architect / Younger Lady / Guest / Nephew / 1st Lawyer / 2nd Doctor / Another Woman

Kate Webb – Governor's Wife / Mother-in-law / Farmer / Merchant Woman / Elderly lady

Gwyneth Walker – Crowd / Servant / Cook / Peasant Woman / Woman / Farmer / Limping Woman

Jane Morgan – 1st Doctor / Nurse / Sister-in-law / Guest / Old Woman

BEHIND THE SCENES

Directed by
Dave Clegg
 
Lighting and Sound
Alexander Lyon and Sean Holt
 
Costumes
Helena Greig
 
Properties
The Company
 

Thanks to:

Sally Parr and the Total Theatre Co. Windsor
The Herald Players
James Barber and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Ursula Power