A profound production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Show #11: The Caucasian Chalk
Circle
Where: Glebe Collegiate Institute
Director: Brent Rouleau
Nick Gray-Grant, Critic Lester B. Pearson Catholic High School
The hallmark of Brechtian drama is a shameless postulation of the playwright’s Marxist morals. Glebe Collegiate Institute’s slow burn spectacle, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, was a stirring, parabolic potpourri, examining — through a vehemently vaudevillian lens — the everlasting clash between those of material richness and those rich at heart.
Penned by famed theatrical theorist Bertolt Brecht in 1944, The Caucasian Chalk Circle tells the epic tale of Grusha, our reluctant heroine and a makeshift mother to Michael, the Governor’s abandoned heir. Child in tow, she flees an occupied Nuka for the Caucasus Mountains, hunted by a band of implacable Ironshirts who scorch earth in search of the pair. Grusha’s love for the child knows no bounds, as she goes to great lengths to ensure he is cared for, ensnaring herself in a string of strenuous situations along the way. Meanwhile, Azdak — a deliciously deviant drunkard — accidentally assumes the role of town judge. With bribery beyond corruption, verdicts rendered in Azdak’s court rarely reflect reality. The narrative comes full circle when the worlds of Grusha and Azdak collide, culminating in the fateful, unorthodox test of the chalk circle, which has lasting implications for both Michael and the only mother he has ever known.
Glebe’s tame set design underscored the show’s intimate immersiveness, allowing for both the humanity and grandiosity of the dramatis personae to consume the stage as if Brecht himself spoke through them. The structural versatility and re-imagination of set pieces — a door frame to several homes became the gallows for public punishment — was innovatively minimalistic, keeping the audience engaged from scene to scene. The lighting was equally effective in its simplicity, setting the mood of each sequence with terrific timing. The orchestral accompaniments composed by Madox Terrell were mellifluous and melodic, impressively conveying — without words
— the poignancy of the story. Overall, this symbolic staging of The Caucasian Chalk Circle was consistent in quality, honing in on the core message in a refreshing manner
Grace Blue led the cast, radiating an authentic maternal warmth. Her portrayal of Grusha was endearing, raw, and faithful to the text. Blue infused the role with motherly ire when protecting her son, commanding the stage in the way mothers do households.
Leonora Shiell assigned her Singer a captivating, come-hither narration style, sweeping the stage with an air of mystery as each event unfolded. Ryan Cunningham’s Corporal accosted both Grusha and the audience with his crude and cruel comments. Cunningham’s charismatic charm starkly contrasted the terrible threats his character uttered, assuaging — in a fascinating way — the severity of the Corporal’s twistedness. Nick Krul’s clownish cowardice, as Jussup, was a highlight of the first act. His meek timidity made for much-needed comic relief in an otherwise sombre scene in the story.
Ben Astorga stole the show as Azdak, the compellingly unpredictable judge. His emotionally chameleonesque performance was laced with the harlequin traits of commedia dell’arte. Astorga seamlessly transformed from a lively leader to a lowstatus lush with an adept level of spatial awareness. His grandiose gesturing, fluid facial contortions, and captivating voice were ferocious, formidable, and unwavering throughout the play.
Glebe Collegiate Institute’s profound production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle was a minimalistic meal with delicious performances, proving once and for all “that what there is shall go to the ones who are good for it.”