The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle explores the complexities of wealth and ownership in a cross-cultural parable. In a war-torn village, plans are underway for a peaceful reconstruction. In celebration, a famous singer, with the help of the townspeople, performs an epic folktale that culminates in the story of The Caucasian Chalk Circle. The unlikely heroine of this winding tale is a simple maid who makes countless sacrifices to raise a child that is not her own. Through clever inversions and reversals, broad comedy, and liberal use of music and song, Brecht questions commonly accepted social mores and offers a hopeful alternative for a healthy society.