This blog is intended as a record of the process (my process at any rate) of producing a play. I am planning to direct “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” by Bertolt Brecht in November this year. And I thought I would entertain myself with a record of the way my thoughts about the play (currently minimal) evolve over the ensuing months.

To date, I have established that Samuel French will let me cut bits out of the play, assuming I submit my planned amendments to them for prior approval. Which may be just as well (purists close your ears) as a friend believes that the play runs at three and a half hours in its unadulterated form. I am reluctant to inflict this on people.

I need to choose my translation as my German isn’t great and several English versions apparently exist. More to the point, I need – what I suppose real theatre directors call – my concept. Which at the moment is sketchy to the point of non-existence.

I was involved in a production of “Chalk Circle” years ago, with a theatre company called “Roundabout” that was set up as (if I remember rightly) a youth theatre offshoot of the Nottingham Playhouse. The producers had complicated thoughts about bringing the chorus to life with enthusiastic hordes of young people swarming around a stage. I remember a beautiful pale-faced girl playing a heartfelt Grusha, a cigarette smoking sophisticate as Natella and a 6 foot tall lumberjack-shirt-wearing Azdak. Unfortunately I can’t remember much more than that. No concept to steal there then. Looks like I’m starting pretty much from scratch.