Event Info
- Language: Kannada
- City / State: Bengaluru, Karnatka
- Directed By: Chandra Keerthi B
- Produced By: Theatre Artistree
Caucasian Chalk Circle
Caucasian Chalk Circle, a play originally by Bertolt Brecht, is the story of Grusha, a peasant, forced to flee a Caucasian city as a result of a revolt. She saves the abandoned child of the city’s governor who has been killed and develops strong maternal instincts towards the baby. She crosses dangerous hurdles and makes several sacrifices for the sake of this child.
After two years, a counter-revolt returns the governor’s party to power. The governor’s widow can only stake claim on his estate as the mother of his legal heir. Grusha and the infant are thus tracked and brought by soldiers to trial before the city judge, Azdak, who uses something called the ‘chalk circle’ to judge the identity of the “real” mother.
On Stage:
- Angadi Nain Kumar: Shuva, Begger and Neighbour
- Arunesh. K. R: Soldier and Lavrenti
- Ashwini Madhu. A.R.: Dadi and Aniko
- Bharath Kumar. S.: Soldier
- Daksheesh. A: Michael
- Deepith Sharma: Doctor and Narrator
- Kavya Shree. M. S: Maid, Jussup’s mother and Divorce petitioner
- Kiran Kumar: Old man and Divorce petitioner
- Murali. B. S: Peasant’s husband and Lawyer
- Paneesh. P: Azdak and Soldier
- Praveen Balagoudar: Georgi Abashvili and Lead Narrator
- Rajath Kumar. A: Lawyer and Begger
- Rajeshwari. A. Deshpande: Singer and Peasant women
- Rakesh Kumar. M: Arsen Kazbeki, Narrator and Neighbour
- Ranjith Kumar Shetty. K: Corporal
- Ravi Kiran. P: Soldier
- Ravi. N: Soldier, Narrator, Neighbour
- Rohith. H. N: Lead Narrator
- Shashi Kumar. B. R: Doctor and Priest
- Shwetha. S: Grusha Vashnadze
- Sridhar. D: Simon Chachava
- Sunil Kumar. M: Shalva
- Ullas Kumble: Jussup and Begger
- Vidya. V: Natella Abashvili
- Yadushree. B.l: Daksheesh’s mother
Off Stage:
- Chandra Keerthi B: Design and Direction
- Pradeep. B. V: Music Direction
- Praveen. B. V: Music Direction
- Raghavendra. K: Rhythmist
- Madhuri Seshadri: Singer
- Rajeshwari. A. Deshpande: Singer
- Manjunatha. K . L: Light Designer
- Sridhar Murthy: Sets Execution
- Vishwas Kashyap: Moving Sets & Props Designer
- Raghu Sirsi: Moving Sets & Props Designer
- Vedavathi. V: Costume Designer
- Vidya. V: Costume Designer
- Ramakrishna Beltur: Make-up Artist
- Poojitha. B: Subtitles Operator
- Gowtham Upadhya: Back stage
- Jaya Shankar. V: Back stage
- Bertolt Brecht: Playwright
- N. Ranganatha Rao: Translation
On 27 August 2017, a shocking piece of news flashed on TV: “Mother throws her 7-year old daughter off a building, twice!!” I discovered that the incident took place two roads away from my residence! It haunted me for days.
I recalled Natella Abashwili, the mother of Michael, in the play Caucasian Chalk Circle by German modernist Bertolt Brecht. The play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother than the natural parents. In turn, Natella, the real mother had left her child behind while fleeing from her palace and after a few years wanted the child back for her greed.
This incident instigated me to direct Caucasian Chalk Circle. The play enforces a new feeling to motherhood- emotional, rather than biological.