Participants at Roehampton’s Summer Skills Course will be working on a musical based around the theme, The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

“A good soldier has his heart and soul in it. He lets himself be hacked to pieces by his superiors . . . for him, that’s reward enough”

The Caucasian Chalk Circle tells the story of Grusha, a young servant girl who sacrifices everything to protect the life of a small child and her epic struggle to keep the boy safe through a war-torn land. Peace is restored and the boy’s biological mother demands her child be returned. Grusha refuses as she knows the mother only wants the child back for financial gains and not through any maternal instinct. It is left to Azdak, a rather wise judge, to make the decision and he calls upon the most ancient of traditions- The Chalk Circle- to settle the dispute. Who will win?

The production will be set in the back streets of 1930’s Berlin, within the subversive world of cabaret with its provocative performance style and gallows-humour.

We will explore the theatrical teachings of Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre and how this style can lend itself to a piece of theatre with music.

The piece will also investigate the work of another giant in the world of theatre, Bob Fosse, and in particular his movement style to create a piece of truly thought-provoking and challenging theatre.

Find out how to get involved here.

To stay updated on opportunities such as these, sign up for Wired4Music!