Russian Directors to Hold Creative Workshop at Kupala Theatre, Selecting a Play for the Repertoire
“This is an element of experimental interpretation, a new breath.”
The Yanka Kupala National Academic Theatre has launched a creative project called “Kupala. Laboratory,” reports Belta. Over the course of a week, the theatre's artists, alongside three Russian directors, will create three play sketches.
On August 30, these will be presented to the audience, who, as promised, will be able to select their favorite sketch for future inclusion in the theatre's repertoire.
The project commenced on August 24. Alexander Shestakov, General Director of the Kupala Theatre, spoke to journalists about it.
“We invite masters of their craft, and it’s important that, in addition to our own directors, there is an alternative vision of Belarusian dramaturgy. This is an element of experimental interpretation, a new breath, which allows even our artists to look at familiar material in a new way,” said Shestakov.
The laboratory is led by Russian theatre critic Alexander Vislov. He states that such a laboratory format is widespread in Russia, but for the Kupala Theatre, this is the first experiment of its kind.
“We conducted a thorough selection of directors together with the theatre's artistic director. We chose three brilliant masters who know how to approach actors and unleash their potential,” he said.
The play sketches will be created using sets and costumes from the Kupala Theatre, and the roles will be performed by its actors.
All three sketches will be presented in Belarusian.
Russian director Andrei Shlyapin chose Nikolai Matukovsky’s play “Mudramer” for the production.
“It’s not yet known what the final outcome will be. In my opinion, the work perfectly addresses the pertinent theme of seeking an answer to the question ‘Who am I?’ It’s truly necessary to periodically ask oneself this question. This is an eternal theme of human existence within space and social strata,” said Shlyapin.
Russian director Maria Romanova is working on Yanka Kupala’s play “Raskidanaje Hniazdo” (The Scattered Nest).
According to Romanova, working with Belarusian material also holds personal significance: her grandmother hailed from Rahachow.
“My journey to Belarus proved extremely significant for me, as my grandmother is from Rahachow. I intuitively chose Yanka Kupala’s work for the production, and in the process of reading it, I was deeply moved. The play is difficult, but very poetic. It’s important for me to find an equivalent to its tragic nature, to elevate it to a more spiritual level concerning the acceptance of such a fate. I strive to find beauty within it,” said the director.
The third production—based on Frantsishak Alyakhnovich’s play “The Devil and the Woman”—is being prepared by Honored Artist of Russia, Alexander Agarov.
He confessed that he had not previously been familiar with Frantsishak Alyakhnovich.
“I hadn’t known this playwright before, and his tragic fate struck me. It seemed to me that ‘The Devil and the Woman’ isn’t just some ‘amusing trifle.’ The work speaks about something real that concerns all of us,” Agarov explained.
On August 30, the audience will see all three sketches and, according to the theatre's management, will be able to choose a sketch that may subsequently be included in the Kupala Theatre’s repertoire.
The theatre refers to this as an opportunity to view familiar Belarusian material from a fresh perspective.
It’s worth noting that after the disbandment of the old Kupala troupe in 2020, Russian personnel—both actors and directors who are unfamiliar with Belarusian culture or language—have been invited to the theatre. Furthermore, administrative and security control has been imposed over them.
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