31/05/2026
🎭'I love working with this exceptional company’ – Kate Guelke🎭
Stage Beyond Theatre Company is preparing to open its ambitious new production of 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' at the Playhouse, Derry, on Thursday evening June 4, before touring to An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny on Friday 5 June and Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo, on Monday 8 June for a relaxed performance.🤗
Based on Bertolt Brecht's masterpiece and adapted by Stage Beyond, this epic ensemble production brings together the company's trademark creativity, imagination and inclusive spirit. The production has been supported by National Lottery funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.👏National Lottery Good Causes Arts Council of Northern Ireland
As excitement builds ahead of opening night, we caught up with director Kate Guelke to learn more about the show, her creative influences and what makes working with Stage Beyond such a special experience.🫶🏽
Kate is an award-winning Northern Irish opera and theatre director who previously directed Stage Beyond's productions of Rashomon (2016) and The Great Dictator (2022). She was recently a Staff Director at English National Opera, assisting Kip Williams, ENO's multi-award-winning director and writer for theatre, opera and screen, renowned for pioneering cine-theatre. 🎥
Read Kate's Q&A hot off the press below 🔽
Q. What excites you most about bringing 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' to audiences here?
A. 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' is an enormous ensemble piece - what excites me is the sheer scale of this work and how every member of Stage Beyond is essential to the production.
Q. Why do you think this story still resonates with audiences today?
A. At this particular moment a lot of us can relate to political instability and a world order that feels almost arbitrary and in flux. How ordinary people keep up with changing rules and continue to survive is a theme that has local as well as wider resonance for audiences.
Q. What makes this production unique or different from others?
A. Like Brecht and the Berliner Ensemble, we do not shy away from showing the theatrical device. So the company continually make images, and the audience have to use their imagination to interpret these. In particular, we were attracted to making the show sustainable and using what we have on hand, which is how yoga mats have come to dominate the show! I was so inspired by Stage Beyond's practice of doing yoga before rehearsals, and the mats feature heavily throughout.
Q. What first inspired you to pursue a career in theatre?
A. My mum's an actress, so I was very fortunate to grow up in a household where theatre was considered both normal and viable as a career.
Q. Who or what are your biggest creative influences?
A. My biggest creative influences are the artists I get to collaborate with, so I have to say that Stage Beyond is right up there! As a company they really live their values and it's a real privilege to get to work with them.
Q. Favourite play or production of all time?
A. I absolutely love Brecht and I have to say as well as 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle', 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui' and 'The Good Woman of Szechwan' are two of my favourites.
Q. What has your experience been like working with Stage Beyond?
A. I love working with this company - their warmth and energy as well as their kindness and compassion to me and to each other is just exceptional.
Q. One word to describe this production?
A. Ambitious!
Q. What are you directing next?
A. I'm directing a version of 'Odd Man Out', a 1940s Belfast Noir, as part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast.
Don't miss Stage Beyond's production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle:
📍 Playhouse Derry – Thursday 4 June, 7pm
📍 An Grianan Theatre – Friday 5 June, 7pm
📍 Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo – Monday 8 June, 2pm
Book now and experience this powerful, imaginative and inclusive retelling of one of theatre's greatest stories.
🔗 https://www.derryplayhouse.co.uk/event/the-caucasian-chalk-circle
🔗 https://angrianan.com/event/stage-beyond-2026/
🔗 https://www.hawkswell.com/whats-on/shows/the-caucasian-chalk-circle
