The Caucasian Chalk Circle
By Bertolt Brecht
Translated by Alistair Beaton
Directed by Christine Nicholson
November 15–24, 2019
The Playhouse at Zellerbach Hall
A captivating play within a play, The Caucasian Chalk Circle tells the corresponding stories of a post-war land dispute in the Caucasus Mountains and a young servant who risks her life to raise an abandoned child. Bertolt Brecht masterfully employs historification and distancing to reveal the hidden (and not so hidden) oppression of the powerless by the powerful. We are challenged not only to see the inequality inherent in power structures, but also to find ways to change our relationship to those structures—to find our way to justice, fairness, and compassion in the face of overwhelming odds.
This theater-in-the-round presentation features live performances of original songs, as well as intricate scenic design, costuming, and puppetry!
Presented in approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one 10-minute intermission.