"The Caucasian Chalk Circle"

The story of the "Caucasian Chalk Circle" is a simple one. It tells of the abandonment of a baby by its high-born mother during a revolution, its unofficial adoption by a kitchen maid, her flight from those who would harm the child and finally her fight for her child against its mother. A simple story, but a difficult one to present, yet the cast from the Nelson College for Girls Drama Club achieved this with notable success.

Two of the revolutionaries, the Corporal (Nicola Grainger) and Blockhead (Jane Tucker) jeer at the head lopped from the Governor's neck during the revolution.

Singer of the story, Susan Scott

Heroine Grusha, the kitchen maid, (Roslyn Everett) looks fondly at the abandoned child she is to make her own.

The Governor (Elizabeth Moore), his wife and mother of the child, Natella (Marion Heinz), Shalva, the adjutant (Christine Macey) and the child's nurse, prepare for flight.

During her flight Grusha meets and fights with two wealthy travellers (Dare Bennett and Rosemary Roper).

A drunken peasant (Marie Green) makes merry during the wedding of Grusha and the old man.

To give her "son" a name, Grusha agrees to marry Yussup (Tim Costello) on his death-bed before the mother-in-law (Susan Cheesman) and the Monk (Christopher Stewart).

But Yussup recovers and Grusha and the mother-in-law wait on him hand and foot

The climax of the play is when Grusha and Natella dispute the owner ship of the boy Michael (Christine Greenfield), Asdak, the judge (Kevin Isherwood) orders both "mothers" to try and pull the boy out of the chalk circle.

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The Nelson Photo News

No 80 : June 24, 1967

"The Caucasian Chalk Circle"