The Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh presents
The Caucasian Chalk Circle by
Bertolt Brecht
Translated by Alistair Beaton
Directed by Mark Thomson
18 February- 14 March 2015
Press night is Saturday 21st February at 7.30pm
“In the bloodiest of times good people can be found.”
Revolution – a city turned upside down. The mighty tumble, the weak break their fall and everyone must take care. As she picks a path through the chaos, a young servant girl must make a choice: save her own skin or sacrifice everything to rescue an abandoned child with a price on his head.
The Caucasian Chalk Circle is one of the greatest plays of the last century crafted by a grand master of storytelling at the height of his powers and peopled with a wild array of vivid and amusing characters. Written in the wake of the Second World War, this timeless parable continues to ask urgent questions about justice, and how to do right when the world goes wrong.
The full epic sweep and scale of this powerful drama is brought to life by a large cast of actor musicians. Rich in music and song this production gives full voice to Brecht’s powerful tale of the terrible temptation to do good.
Alistair Beaton is a Scottish writer, whose plays includeFeelgood, King of Hearts and Follow My Leader. For television, he wrote the award-winning A Very Social Secretary and the Channel 4 film The Trial of Tony Blair.
The show will bedirectedby Lyceum Artistic DirectorMark Thomson and designed byKaren Tennantalongside lighting design from Simon Wilkinson. Lyceum visiting artist Claire McKenzie will be composing original music for the production.
Director Mark Thomson says:
“The Caucasian Chalk Circle offers an audience today a wildly exuberant moral and political inventory check.It challenges us on how much care we take of our innate sense of right and wrong.And all with a song.And a love story or two.Brecht’s theatre is anything but dry – it’s a celebration of everything theatrical and alongside the fairground rollercoaster of his story you know that it means something.”
The13 strong ensemblecast features both new and returning actors to The Lyceum stage.The cast are Christopher Fairbank, Amy Manson, Eamonn O'Dwyer, Shirley Darroch, Andrew Bridgmont , Karen Fishwick , Sarah Swire, Deborah Arnott, Liam Gerrard, John Kielty, Jon Trenchard, Buchan Lennon and puppeteer Adam Bennettand will play various roles and music throughout the show.
ENDS>
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information, interviews, images or ticket requests, please contact Michelle Mangan, Press and PR Manager at The Lyceum or 0131 248 4822
PERFORMANCES & PRICES
18 February- 14 March 2015
Evenings:
Tuesday through Saturday, 7.30pm
£15 - £29
Matinees:
Wednesday and Saturday, 2pm
£12.50 - £24
For tickets phone 0131 248 4848 or book online at
ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
Touch Tours for visually impaired
Thursday 5 Marchat 6.15pm
Saturday 7 Marchat 12.45 pm
Audio-described Performances
Thursday 5 March at 7.30pm
Saturday 7 March at 2pm
BSL Interpreted Performance
Wednesday 11 Marchat 7.30pm
Captioned Performance
Saturday 14 Marchat 2pm
The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, or the Lyceum as it is fondly known, is one of Scotland’s leading producing drama companies. Established in 1965 it has gained a reputation for excellence in both classical and contemporary work. It is committed to developing the country’s considerable indigenous talents while presenting the best of international drama to the public. The Lyceum aims to reach a wide audience, whatever their age or experience of theatre going, and to enable them to access the richly imaginative world of drama. The Lyceum Theatre Company has worked with co-producers across the country including The Bush, London, the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, National Theatre of Scotland, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Nottingham Playhouse, Horsecross Arts, Vanishing Point Theatre Company, Stellar Quines, Dundee Rep Theatre and VoxMotus.