The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

Caucasian Chalk Circle at the Brockley Jack

Caucasian Chalk Circle at the Brockley Jack | Theatre review
28 February 2016
Matthew Pronchick
Avatar
Matthew Pronchick
28 February 2016

The Caucasian Chalk Circle is an exciting and engrossing piece of theatre. Excellently choreographed, the actors energetically move throughout the small circular stage – at times, this makes it feel cramped and clustered, but the overall effect is amazing. Using a set made completely of moveable parts, chairs, and containers, the actors move things around to signal scene changes, or to give a scene a sense of movement and commotion. This is done to great effect, and the viewer can often find more than one subject in the bustling stage.

The story follows the complex social struggles of people in southern Russia; the play derives its name from the Caucasus region, during a time of strife and violence. The audience is exposed to several perspectives, and with this nuance is given a rich and entertaining story. Throughout the play, characters that are in some way refugees of the warring nations nearby show some similarities to today’s refugee crisis. The depiction of migrants shows individuality to each case, bringing to mind the question of justice in an extremely messy moral and economic situation.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle‘s set is an astounding mastery of the different theatrical elements. The lights and music correspond with each other, repeating in certain ways to bring parts of other scenes back into play. The lighting ranges from soft natural lighting to a deep horrifying red, to rave-like flashes. The music also varies wildly with string sections, ambient parts, dubstep and trance. This all comes together with the superb acting to create dynamic scenes with a feeling of purpose and progression.

This piece is a dynamic experience, promising to entertain throughout. With its engrossing, quick-moving story, the audience will spend time both on the edge of their seat and falling back with laughter. The movement and synchronicity of the actors is especially intriguing and expressive. This play is well-rounded and strong in many areas, and the audience leaves satisfied.

★★★★★

Matthew Pronchick
Photo: Adam Trigg

The Caucasian Chalk Circle is on at the Brockley Jack from 23rd February until 12th March 2016, for further information or to book visit here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels

★★★★★
Brooke Snowe
Read More

Redemption Room at Secret Theatre Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Rice! at Omnibus Theatre

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

24, 23, 22 at Chronic Insanity Online

★★★★★
Samuel Nicholls
Read More

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice at Southwark Playhouse Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Typical at Soho Theatre

★★★★★
Ella Satin
Read More

Grimm Tales for Fragile Times and Broken People

★★★★★
Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Gatsby at Cadogan Hall: An interview with Jodie Steele and Ross William Wild

Michael Higgs
Read More

Living Record Festival: Ain’t No Female Romeo

★★★★★
Brooke Snowe
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Matthew Pronchick

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

★★★★★

Dates

23rd February - 12th March 2016

Price

£12-£14

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Celebrate International Women’s Day with a Bombay Sapphire Cocktails & Create masterclass
    Food & Drinks
  • Kings of Leon – When You See Yourself
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Limbo
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Women in film introduce favourite female-directed features for new BFI series from 8th March
    Cinema & Tv
  • Delectible drinks that would make the perfect Mother’s Day gift
    Food & Drinks
  • Taste (Vị)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Black Country, New Road at Southbank Centre Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Body Brokers
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Mouthpiece
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Sentinelle
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Black Country, New Road at Southbank Centre Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Vicious Fun
    ★★★★★
    Glasgow
  • Berlinale 2021 winners: The full list
    Berlinale
  • WandaVision
    ★★★★★
    disney
  • Coming 2 America
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Norm of the North | Movie review
Truth | Movie review