We are on the World Orbit even been in the Catacombs. Theatrical Kharkiv during the First Year of the Full-Scale War

Author

Shchukina Yuliia

a Ph.D. in Art Studies, an associate professor, a head of the Department of Theatre Studies of I. Kotliarevskyi National University of Arts (Kharkiv, Ukraine).

ORCID ІD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8329-6828

We are on the World Orbit even been in the Catacombs.
Theatrical Kharkiv during the First Year of the Full-Scale War

Abstract

The article examines the events in the life of Kharkiv state and private theatres during the first year of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, namely: postponed and unrealised premieres, the threat of destruction of theatre and art school buildings, experimenting with novel performance formats, relocated Kharkiv theatres; ideological rebranding of theatres, changes in repertoire policy, including issues of language use in theatre, the creation of distinctive repertoires by the most creative groups under the influence of wartime realities, such as the front-line performance in the genre of folk farce “Khai shchastyt! (Good luck!)” at Kharkiv Taras Shevchenko Drama Theatre stage play “CODE.UA” at Teatr “057”, documentary readings and political performances of “Varta” Theatre. The article analyses the international activity of Kharkiv theatres during the full-scale war, in particular, the first in the history of theatrical Kharkiv practice of long-term division of the company of Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Mykola Lysenko (SkhidOpera), Kharkiv, into two parts: one that remained to perform for Kharkivites and one that went on a year-long humanitarian tour “The European Path” through the countries of the European Union. The article traces the performances of Kharkiv Taras Shevchenko Drama Theatre with the anti-dictatorship play “Caligula” at festivals in Egypt and Iraq; the run of performances “Khlibne peremiria (A Harvest Truce)” by Serhii Zhadan at Kharkiv Taras Shevchenko Drama Theatre and “Ya – norm (lit. “I›m fine / I›m normal”)” by Nina Zakhozhenko at Valeriy Afanasiev Puppet Theatre, Kharkiv, reflecting life under occupation, in the cities of Ukraine, Poland, France, and Germany. A surge was noted in art festivals with theatrical components, which served as a significant form of cultural resistance to the military propaganda of the occupying forces. The circumstances under which Ivan Kotliarevskyi National University of Arts, Kharkiv, resumed and continued its activities (educational, concert, scientific, and project) in April 2022 are clarified.

Conclusions. Thus, the article establishes that in the conditions of the first year of a full-scale war, the theatrical life of Kharkiv, located near the war front, turned out to be a significant instrument in the society’s struggle for its national and humanistic identification. Critical circumstances prompted theatres to form unprecedented alliances in their history with theatres in Ukraine and abroad, and to international festival activities.

Keywords

theatrical culture of Ukraine, theaters of Kharkiv, Russian-Ukrainian war, relocated theaters, theater festivals, theatrical and musical education of Kharkiv, Ivan Kotliarevskyi National University of Arts, Kharkiv.

References

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