The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Interesting Facts

• The Caucasian Chalk Circle is one of Bertolt Brecht's most famous plays and is an adaptation of an ancient Chinese legend about the wise judge Bao.
• The play was written in 1944 during World War II and first performed in 1948 in the United States, where Brecht was in exile.
• The central theme of the work is social justice and moral choice, characteristic of many of Brecht's works.
• The plot centers on the story of how the servant Grusha saves and raises a child left behind in the chaos of war, leading to a legal battle over his custody.
• Brecht employs the technique of 'epic theatre' in the play, aimed at making audiences not just empathize with the characters but also think about social and political issues.
• The play's title refers to an ancient test where a judge draws a circle with chalk and asks two women claiming the child to pull him towards themselves to determine the true mother.
• The play includes elements of song and music, a hallmark of Brechtian theatre, which helps convey emotional depth and social commentary.