THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE MITEM 16

The Chalk Circle’s plot is of exemplary clarity and dialectic beauty: During a revolution, a baby is passed from one mother to another. Over the course of her flight, the new mother gets into ever deeper trouble and ultimately finds herself on trial at a court of law. Times have changed once more and the child is now heir to a great fortune. But Judge Azdak is still in power: His rulings are feared by the rich and a blessing for the poor. And when the biological mother ruthlessly demands the return of her child, he re-invents Solomon’s chalk circle. When Bertolt Brecht and his Berliner Ensemble took over the Theater am Schiffsbauerdamm in 1954, his first production there was The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Michael Thalheimer is in-house director at Berliner Ensemble and will create productions there at regular intervals. 

“Stefanie Reinsperger languishes, luxuriates, oozes, whoops, grunts, hops, whines, smooches, sobs, howls, scolds and despises at Champions League level.” (Die Welt)

“Stunning; the most de-cluttered Brecht you could wish for.” (Süddeutscht Zeitung)