The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Inside Story Network and University of Johannesburg Arts & Culture Present Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Johannesburg, South Africa — At a time when South Africa continues to grapple with questions of justice, migration, land, belonging and leadership, Inside Story Network in partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Arts & Culture, is bringing one of the world's most thought-provoking plays back to the stage.

From 29 July to 1 August 2026, audiences will experience a bold new production of Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the UJ Bunting Theatre, a work whose central questions remain remarkably relevant nearly eighty years after it was first written.

Rather than offering simple answers, Brecht invites audiences to wrestle with profound questions:

Who has the rightful claim—not simply by law, but by justice?

Who deserves power?

Who should inherit the land?

What makes someone worthy to lead?

These are questions that continue to shape public conversation across South Africa and around the world.

Produced and directed by Lebohang Motaung and Koketso Naledi Motaung of Inside Story Network, this production places Brecht's timeless work in conversation with contemporary South African realities while remaining faithful to the principles of Epic Theatre. Audiences are invited to engage with themes of justice, migration, ownership, responsibility, identity and compassion—not through political slogans or easy conclusions, but through theatre that challenges, provokes and inspires critical thought.

A Partnership Investing in South African Theatre

The production forms part of an ongoing collaboration between the UJ Arts Academy and the Inside Story Academy, combining academic excellence with professional theatre practice to develop the next generation of South African performers and theatre-makers.

Over several months, emerging actors have participated in intensive workshops, rehearsals, performance training and mentorship, culminating in this public production. The collaboration demonstrates how universities and independent creative organisations can work together to expand access to high-quality theatre while providing practical industry experience for young artists.

A Valuable Educational Experience

The production has been specifically developed with schools in mind and offers learners a unique opportunity to experience one of the world's most influential plays performed live.

Learners studying Drama, English Literature, Performance Studies and the Humanities will encounter practical demonstrations of key theatrical concepts prescribed in many curricula, including:

• Epic Theatre
• Gestus
• The Alienation Effect (Verfremdungseffekt)
• Narration
• Ensemble Performance
• Social Commentary through Theatre

Beyond its educational value, the production encourages learners to think critically about justice, ethics, leadership and citizenship while experiencing the power of live performance.

Schools from across Gauteng are invited to attend specially scheduled daytime performances.

Why Brecht Still Matters

Although The Caucasian Chalk Circle premiered in 1948, its central concerns remain strikingly contemporary.

Questions surrounding justice, migration, belonging, inequality, leadership and competing claims over land continue to shape societies across the globe. Rather than prescribing solutions, Brecht challenges audiences to interrogate their own assumptions and consider what justice truly looks like.

This South African interpretation honours that tradition by allowing audiences to engage with these questions through the lens of their own lived experiences.

As Brecht ultimately asks:

Who should own the land?

Perhaps the answer is not those who possess it—but those who care for it.

Director's Statement

"Great theatre doesn't tell audiences what to think; it gives them the space to wrestle with important questions. Nearly eighty years after Brecht wrote The Caucasian Chalk Circle, South Africans are still asking many of the same questions about justice, belonging and responsibility. We hope audiences leave the theatre challenged, inspired and eager to continue those conversations."

— Lebohang Motaung, Director