domingo, dezembro 05, 2004

Seminário Internacional de Jovens Críticos de Teatro (IV)

Seguimos hoje com a apresentação da situação teatral na Rússia, feita por Christine Matvienko.


Russian theatre today

There are only a few interesting events in the field of contemporary Russian theatre. Today they are not connected with definite theatres. In this way we may speak only about Maly Drama Theatre in St.Petersburg (led by Lev Dodin), Fomenko Theatre-studio and School of Dramatic Art (led by Anatoly Vasiliev) in Moscow. But these all had existed for a long period and have a great international publicity. This is a face of Russian theatre abroad and of course it's not the real face.

The most important part of theatres in Moscow is involved in commercial activity. In St.Petersburg is just a little less because of high cultural reputation. But it changes. Mostly these performances - based on the plays of contemporary European commercial writers like Kuni, Kamoletti and Ptushkina (Russian). It's popular among the spectators who like to spend a good evening and to see "the stars" on the stage.

In fact more prestigious way for spending money is considered to be Moscow Art Theatre of Chekhov, Satirikon of Konstantin Raikin, Theatre-studio "Tabakerka" led by Oleg Tabakov. Tabakov invites the most perspective young directors (Nina Chusova, Kirill Serebrennikov, Mindaugas Karbauskas, Elena Nevezhina, Marina Brusnikina) and gives them the opportunity to make a production at the most famous theatre in Russia. Sometimes they have failure too but in fact this cooperation is very important. These directors attract new playwriters - especially Serebrennikov - so everybody may see the performance based on the Presnyakovs' play. The most successful was "Playing the victim" by Serebrennikov.

Actually the "new drama" is the most interesting thing in the modern Russian theatre. There is festival "New Drama" in Moscow organized by the festival "Golden Mask" and Festival for young playwriters (Liubimovka), TEATR.DOC organized by Elena Gremina and Michael Ugarov, and regional festivals - in Ekaterinburg "Eurasia" organized by Nikolay Kolyada, in Novosibirsk "New Style" organized by Vika Kholodova and "May Readings" in Toliatti organized by Vadim Levanov. These are the main places where the new theatre is growing. A lot of plays written the late years are not so good as Presnyakovs, Maxim Kurochkin or Vasily Sigarev, but the playwriters feel the great inspiration to write for theatre. For them TEATR.DOC was organized in the underground of one of the respectable Moscow houses.

There a lot of theatre festivals in Russia today. For regions it is one of the opportunities to get financial support from the state (Ministry of Culture) and City Council. But if the festival is really good - as Golden Mask (National Festival and Premia), New Drama, NET (New European Theatre), Chekhov's festival - all in Moscow, Baltic House in St.Petersburg and Real Theatre in Ekaterinbourg (led by Oleg Loevski) - it means the opportunity to show Russian spectators (especially professional) the best Russian and foreign performances. According to NET, for example, we may say that for the first time a lot of directors and actors (and critics also) will see Arpad Shilling's Seagull and Thomas Ostermeier's Nora. Unforunately, both are not Russians.

So we have Center for Dramaturgy and Directing led by Alexey Kazantsev and Michael Roshin in Moscow. In fact it's the first stage for the projects of young directors. The best performances were Plasticine by Sigarevdirected by Serebrennikov and Oblom Off by Michael Ugarov and directed by himself.
The only problem is that the style - easy and rhythmical - of Kazantsev's Center is becoming the standard style for all young directors. But we always hope the star will born.
All the reviews and theatre of Moscow are at www.smotr.ru.


CHRISTINE MATVIENKO dirige a coluna de teatro da revista Time Out Moscow e trabalha no Theatre of Documentary Drama (TEATR.DOC)e no festival New Drama.

Contacto: kmatvienko@msk.timeout.ru

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