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Epic Theatre is a term used to define a form of theatre that utilises various eccentric devices to produce plays that aim to evoke thought over feeling. It turns the spectator into an observer, but arouses his/her capacity for action, and forces him to make decisions... the spectator stands outside and studies (Brecht, B. 1964:37). The main goal of Epic Theatre, as Brecht described it, is to employ didactic and other techniques as well as entertaining theatre to promote political awareness. This analysis will aim to effectively analyse the statement, Epic Theatre is the Union of the Lecture Hall and the Circus and prove this by analysing certain techniques, such as didactic, alienation and translation, utilised in a play Brecht adapted from an ancient Chinese parable written in 1300 A.D. by Klabund, entitled the Circle of Chalk. Brecht adapted this story and changed the setting to Soviet Georgia prior to the end of the Second World War and entitled it the Caucasian Chalk Circle. This study will focus on the second scene of the play. The Singer, or Narrator, from the first scene begins the story of the Chalk Circle. It begins in the fictional country of Grusinia, ruled by the Governor Georgi Abashvili who is married to Natella and has a son named Michael. Soon the Governor is murdered and the Governors brother, the Fat Prince usurps power and takes over the city. Simon Chachava, a soldier, searches out Grusha Vachnadze, the central character of the first half of the play. He informs her that he will protect the Governor's wife as she flees the city. Simon then rather strangely asks Grusha for her hand in marriage.
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