'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' opinions

This week we worked on creating a scene using an extract from the script of 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' To achieve our goals set by Ms Cordell we had to create the scene using the script and techniques used by Brecht. My group decided not to use every technique as it would not make sense with such a short scene. Instead we only used a few such as 'narration' and multi rolling.' At first I did not think i would really enjoy performing this piece as it was short and I felt that we would not be able to create an entertaining scene in such little time. However after performing the scenes my opinion changed. I actually did enjoy the scene we did and I can now see why Brecht wanted to use the ideas that he did.

I can see why using symbolic props and place cards can be effective as it creates a boundary between reality and fantasy. Brecht didn't want a performance to be seen as an adaptation of reality. Instead he wanted it to be something people go to enjoy and know that these characters are not in any real danger or pain. After some initial research I see why Brecht wanted to do this. He lived in a very dark time and wanted to give his audiences an escape from the reality that they were living in.

http://www.hampsteadplayers.org.uk/productions/chalkcircle/large_poster.jpg

Information about Bertolt Brecht

When Brecht was 16, the First World War broke out. At first he was enthusiastic but Brecht soon changed his mind. To get out of fighting Brecht used a loophole and registered for a medical course at Munich University in 1917 where he studied drama with Arthur Kutscher. Brecht's first full-length play, Baal was written in 1918 in response to an argument in one of Kutscher's seminars.

Brecht's moved to America during the rise of the Nazi party as he was openly anti-nazi. This caused him to have his citizenship revoked. Brecht was very political and has a spoken against the events he had lived through and how the government where corrupted.

It wasn't until 1941 did Brecht gain American citizenship. Brecht however returned to Europe in 1947 and created the Berlin Ensemble.

Brecht's goal with his theatrical company was to cheer his audience up. Due to the horrible times that had over come Germany, Brecht wanted to give his audience an escape from the horrid reality. To do this he wanted to create performance where the audience would be entertained but they would not be emotionally attached to any of the characters. The audience should instead have to think about the performance they just watched and self-reflect.

He wanted his audiences to recognise social injustice and to be motivated to go from the theatre and try to change the world. For this purpose, Brecht used a number of techniques that remind the audience that the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself. These techniques are now used widely in the world of theatre.

These techniques include:

Narration

Speaking stage directions

using place cards

multi rolling

song and dance

montage

freeze frames

'It is easier to rob by setting up a bank than by holding up a bank clerk'- Bertolt http://www.brechtsociety.org/images/brecht_exil.jpg