November 3, 2011
Set in Soviet Georgia near the end of the Second World War, The Caucasian Chalk Circle begins with a prologue in which peasants from neighbouring villages quarrel over the ownership and management of an area of land (a dispute which becomes thematic in the play with the repeated resolution that 'what there is shall belong to those who are good for it'). When the peasants reach an agreement, they celebrate their decision with the performance of the famous singer Arkadi, who tells the tale of the servant girl Grusha which becomes the story of the rest of the play.
Grusha is a servant girl in the palace of the governor, who is seized when the Princes rise up against the Grand Duke. In the chaos of leaving the palace (and the governor's wife Natella's concern with having all of her favourite dresses with her) the governor's son and heir, baby Michael, is left behind. On hearing that the Ironshirts are determined to capture Michael, Grusha takes the child and goes on the run in the mountains, with a long and treacherous journey in which she faces snow, rotting bridges and the stigma of apparent single motherhood.
When the Ironshirts finally reach her two years later, taking Michael back to the city, Grusha faces the baby's blood mother Natalla before the drunken judge Azdak. He orders that custody be decided by the old Solomonic test of the chalk circle, and so the destiny of Michael is determined.
Brecht's 1944 tale of justice and revolution is wonderfully performed by Oxford University students. All the parts are played by just eight actors, who demonstrate great versatility, particularly in the multiple accents used. Music and song, so prevalent in Brecht's script, is interpreted fantastically, with beautiful chorus singing and the accompaniment of classical guitar, violin and keyboard. The piece is exceptionally funny, with the actress playing Natella and Anniko excelling in the role of the snobbish, self-interested and demanding woman. The fourth wall is broken in an amusing way, with the audience being offered snacks and being called upon to provide props for the characters.
It is a shame that some interesting sections of the play have been ommitted, presumably because of time constraints, notably Grusha's marriage to a dying man in the mountains. Still, with ninety solid minutes of brilliantly acted Brechtian drama for your money, this is a performance well worth seeing.
Grusha is a servant girl in the palace of the governor, who is seized when the Princes rise up against the Grand Duke. In the chaos of leaving the palace (and the governor's wife Natella's concern with having all of her favourite dresses with her) the governor's son and heir, baby Michael, is left behind. On hearing that the Ironshirts are determined to capture Michael, Grusha takes the child and goes on the run in the mountains, with a long and treacherous journey in which she faces snow, rotting bridges and the stigma of apparent single motherhood.
When the Ironshirts finally reach her two years later, taking Michael back to the city, Grusha faces the baby's blood mother Natalla before the drunken judge Azdak. He orders that custody be decided by the old Solomonic test of the chalk circle, and so the destiny of Michael is determined.
Brecht's 1944 tale of justice and revolution is wonderfully performed by Oxford University students. All the parts are played by just eight actors, who demonstrate great versatility, particularly in the multiple accents used. Music and song, so prevalent in Brecht's script, is interpreted fantastically, with beautiful chorus singing and the accompaniment of classical guitar, violin and keyboard. The piece is exceptionally funny, with the actress playing Natella and Anniko excelling in the role of the snobbish, self-interested and demanding woman. The fourth wall is broken in an amusing way, with the audience being offered snacks and being called upon to provide props for the characters.
It is a shame that some interesting sections of the play have been ommitted, presumably because of time constraints, notably Grusha's marriage to a dying man in the mountains. Still, with ninety solid minutes of brilliantly acted Brechtian drama for your money, this is a performance well worth seeing.