The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Theatre

İstanbul State Theatre

Playwright Bertolt Brecht
Translator Can Yücel
Director Kubilay Karslıoğlu

The German poet and playwright Bertold Brecht wrote his frame play "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" during his exile in the 1940s. The play, which derives its inspiration from old Chinese legends and is based on the 14th-century Chinese verse play "The Chalk Circle" by Li Xingdao, describes how WWII has affected humanity and what the post-war period should look like for the benefit of "Humanity".

One of Brecht's most renowned plays, the play's plot told in the frame-tale form, or the "play-within-a-play" format, enables the production to weave together alternate stories that unite in the plot of a general context. The concepts such as "Labour" and "Right to Property" discussed in the stories of Grusha and Azdak set the ground to convey the idea that during moments of crisis, notions such as "Goodness", "Conscience", and "Justice" change meaning regardless one's social class.

The play ends with the story Grusha's started relating. In the years of war, a wealthy family loses their estate right to a peasant girl because of a boy heir left to the twist in the wind during the confusion. When the actual owner comes to claim her right back, Azdak, now sitting on the seat of Justice, will have to resolve where the scales of justice should weigh down. In this exciting, humorous, and adventurous escapade, the court, the chalk circle, will decide whether Justice favours the "right to property" or "labour".

After hearing the stories of Grusha and Azdak, what has now become of our heritage?

Actors
Azdak / Innkeeper Mehmet Ali Kaptanlar
Fat Prince / Yusuf Burak Karaman
Mother-in-law / Cook-Servant Jale Yücel
Bard / Lavrenti / İhtiyar Adam / Hancı Sertel Uğur
Bard / Bride / Old Woman Duygu Urhan
Governor's Wife Demet İyigün
Grusha Zeynep Deniz Denker
Armoured / 2nd Doctor / Architect / Lame Burak Çağlar
Corporal / Nephew / Monk / Governor / Horseman / Stablesman Mert Asker
1st Doctor / Architect / Old-man / Lawyer / Crippled / Escapee Kamil Gençtürk
Armoured / Stablesman / Horseman Burak Aksak
Ludovika / Young Lady / Servant / Michelle Tuğçe Topçu
Servent / Peasant Woman Duygu Başkaya
Butler / Shava / Stablesman Atlas Karan Tumluer
Aide-de-camp / Armoured / Blackmailer Arda Kaptanlar
Servant / Old Lady / Trader Woman Sabiha Cansu Saka
Armoured / Doctor Selim Ata Polat

Scenic Design Aytuğ Dereli
Costume Design Dilek Kaplan
Light Design Akın Yılmaz
Dramaturge Derya Özer
Music Murat Gedikli
Order of Movement Melike Durak Aras
Co-Director Meral Bilginer
Assistants Can Şıkyıldız, Tuğçe Topçu
Stage Manager Ergül Muslu
Stagehand Onur Kaan Çelebi
Light Operator Hakan Çağlı
Property Supervisor Tolukan Uçar

Event Rules

Detailed information regarding ticket purchase, cancellation, refund, and exchange policies can be found through official ticket sales channels.
For events where student discounts are applicable, student tickets are valid only with a valid student ID and can be purchased from the AKM Box Office. The student ID must be presented to the event staff on the day of the event.
For events cancelled by Atatürk Cultural Center, the refund application period for tickets purchased from the box office is 15 days from the date of cancellation. Within this period, audience members must submit their refund requests at the AKM Box Office.
Age restrictions for our events are specified in the event rules. All attendees are required to have a valid ticket.
For Children’s Art Center workshops, the age group is specified separately. Guests whose ages do not fall within the indicated range will not be permitted to enter the workshop area. Tickets purchased for these workshops are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
AKM Management reserves the right to deny entry to individuals deemed unsuitable for the event, in which case a refund will be issued.
AKM reserves the right to make changes to its ticket purchase policies.

AKM reserves the right to change the event venue and time.
Guests are required to adhere to the specified seating arrangement. No seat changes are allowed during the event.
After the event starts, no audience member will be allowed into the hall.
Recording with cameras, photo cameras, mobile phones, etc. is prohibited during the concert. Recording devices will not be allowed in the venues.
You must be ready with your ticket at the event entrance at least 1 hour before the event start time.
AKM can make changes to event venues. The AKM management will prepare a seating plan that provides our audience with the closest seats to their ticket numbers in the new venue. Purchased tickets are non-refundable due to the change of venue.
It is prohibited to enter areas outside the designated spaces in the venues with food or beverages, to consume tobacco and tobacco products, or to use electronic cigarettes.
There is a paid parking lot inside AKM.

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THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE