In the extremely intimate setting of the Abrams Studio Theatre, the Ryerson Theatre School’s interpretation of Brecht took on a slightly quirky but nonetheless engaging form.
A loose adaptation of the biblical story of King Solomon, The Caucasian Chalk Circle is the story of a coup d’état that deposes the governor of Grusinia. When his wife Natella flees the city, their infant son Michael is left behind. He is rescued by Grusha, a kitchen maid, who takes him into the mountains to safety. Years later, when the deposed governor eventually returns to power, Natella demands her son back. A judge must decide which of the two women is the true mother: the one who gave birth, or the one who raised him as her own.
The show opens informally in typical Brechtian fashion: some of the actors are already onstage when the audience enters, and the rest trickle out slowly, still putting on costume pieces, and doing warm-up stretches.
Brecht is famous for making use of this style, which is known academically as the Verfremdungseffekt, or “alienation effect.” The opposite of realism, the idea is to distance the audience by using completely unrealistic props and costumes, explanatory signs and narration to make the everyday situations depicted in the play seem strange and new.
Brecht believed that this allowed the audience to see his dramatic action in a new light and think critically about ideas and relationships they might otherwise ignore. In The Caucasian Chalk Circle he sets his play within a play, having narrators appear throughout the show to describe the emotions of various characters and guide the audience through the story.
Narrators Marla Brennan and Hayley McGee are both wonderfully engaging until, through no fault of their own, they break into song. Though they are technically excellent singers, Brecht’s avant-garde musical interludes lack melody and rhythm. The effect is as if random notes were assigned to short monologues in the script.
A natural character actor who never broke with the scene, Jennifer Dzialoszynski stood out in numerous small roles, especially when playing off of audience members in the intimate setting. Her most notable performance was as the drunken monk who marries Grusha and Yussup. This character had the audience in stitches, even after the scene shifted focus.
Milan Malisic also deserves a notable mention, playing the Ironshirt Corporal, whose threats and innuendoes, though comical, have a frightening undertone that makes the audience genuinely fear for Grusha’s safety. Coupling him with lighter partner Ironshirt Blockhead (Evan Williams) for him to play off of makes for an enjoyably balanced duo.
Though confronted with some serious subject matter, the cast convincingly evoked the feeling that they were having a great time portraying a wealth of distinctive characters. More importantly, they seemed to have a truly great time engaging the audience in the story. So what if the final breakdance scene broke the mould a little? Brecht definitely benefits from a back flip or two.
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Directed by Guillermo Verdecchia
Starring Marla Brennan
& Hayley McGee
Rating: VVVv
