Caucasian Chalk Circle: A Brechtian triumph of teamwork and theatrics

In the intimate space of the black box studio, the new Warwick University Drama Society (WUDS) production of Caucasian Chalk Circle boldly embraced the challenge of Bertolt Brecht’s epic theatre, delivering a piece as striking in its political messaging as it was playful in its storytelling.

From the start, the staging set the tone of the performance. With the simplicity of the set-up, set designer Echo Vaughan let the meaning of storytelling speak for itself. An unambiguous white chalk circle drawn directly onto centre stage served as both literal and symbolic centre of the play, the line of the circle marking ‘on’ and ‘off’ stage. Everything else around it felt exposed: actors, props, even the stage manager who visibly shifted scene titles on a suspended black plaque. Rather than detract, this transparency reinforced the production’s Brechtian core, inviting the audience to view the mechanics of performance alongside the narrative itself. The audience was given the unusual opportunity to share the actors’ excitement and anticipation before stepping into the circle to perform their next scene.

From chiaroscuro lighting drawing focus to the central circle to the two visible prop tables on stage, every design choice served both form and function

Director of the show, Woody Knight, explained: “Not hiding our cast or props, or indeed the movement of them around scenes, was a key part of the vision […] to involve and immerse our audiences in our storytelling.” I can confirm that this ethos remained at the heart of the piece. From chiaroscuro lighting drawing focus to the central circle to the two visible prop tables on stage, every design choice served both form and function—assisting the multi-rolling of actors while keeping the audience’s attention focused on the constructed nature of theatre, inviting them to experience the pleasure of an on and off-stage experience.

Despite its bare staging, visible mechanics and violent plot, the production demonstrated various moments of unexpected warmth. When Olly Cornish (Simon) sat DSL gently strumming an acoustic guitar during Grusha’s journey (Annie Bagshaw), it added an element of magic to her travels—music standing in where scenery and backdrops did not. Equally grounding was the narrator (Chantel Esri), who never once left character; her entrance from within the audience, followed by a single spotlight, was both intimate and commanding. Her resonant voice set the tone for a production that, while self-consciously theatrical, was also deeply human.

The choice to keep all cast members visible, even as they watched and reacted to scenes they weren’t in, created a strangely endearing sense of ensemble

The cast certainly never failed to remind us of its Brechtian roots from start to finish, planting them firmly front and centre. Most apparent was Brecht’s alienation effect, where the actors remained visible on stage throughout, laughing with the audience, donning costumes in plain sight, and slipping in and out of character as they crossed the chalk circle’s edge. This was not naturalism but a play deliberately unpolished and self-aware. And yet it never felt emotionally distant. The choice to keep all cast members visible, even as they watched and reacted to scenes they weren’t in, created a strangely endearing sense of ensemble.

And while the cast and crew on stage deserve all the applause they got, an honourable mention must go to the publications team too. Their captivating Instagram art and reel updates (utilising current TikTok trends) brought genuine hype to the show, leaving the audience excited before the lights even dimmed.

That said, Knight’s casting was what truly made this a memorable performance. The chemistry among the actors was flawless. The ensemble impressively multi-rolled, working together cohesively to maintain narrative clarity while shifting roles often at a fast pace. Standout pairings included the tender, wholesome bond between Grusha and Simon, and the comically slapstick duo of Azdak (Charlie Muskett) and the Policeman (Ethan Farmer) who added an unexpected queer undercurrent, leaving the audience secretly wishing for another marriage alongside Simon and Grusha at the end. Fearne Hole’s portrayal of Natella certainly deserves a mention, weaponising her clipped accent, comic gagging at the poor and exaggerated vanity to satirise class elitism and maternal incompetence.

Just as the narrator had begun among the crowd, the ensemble ended among us—stepping off stage, chanting the closing lines in unison, and sitting at the edges of the audience as if to remind us that the message of the play doesn’t end with the curtain

The climactic chalk circle trial between Grusha and Natella for custody of Michael was played with all the tension of a boxing match, becoming my favourite scene in the production. Natella’s vicious lunges at the baby, paired with guttural cackles, only heightened the dramatic tension. Grusha’s authentic performance of restraint sealed her maternal integrity and sympathy from the audience, and the audience erupted in approval.

The final tableau of the performance portrayed the satisfying cyclical nature of the play. Just as the narrator had begun among the crowd, the ensemble ended among us—stepping off stage, chanting the closing lines in unison, and sitting at the edges of the audience as if to remind us that the message of the play doesn’t end with the curtain. In Brecht’s world, it spills out into real life.

Knight’s production succeeds not only because it honours Brecht’s political and theatrical intentions, but because it finds genuine heart and humour within them. As Knight reflected, Caucasian Chalk Circle remains “relevant to today’s audience” because it reflects “the disorder and suffering as a result of conflict” still so prevalent in our world today. This cast and crew’s ability to critique and collaborate turned Brecht’s political sentiment into a creative protest.

It was, in the words that Brecht intended, epic.