Free Theater presents Scissors by German director
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The Belarus Free Theater, known for its covert and artistic performances, recently presented a play titled “Scissors” by prominent German director Kai Ochrem. The performance took place in a half-ruined building in the framework of the European Theater for Belarusian Audience festival, a long-term project that aims to bring European plays to Belarus. The Scissors in Minsk was viewed by some 50 youths. The director says they were a very grateful and attentive audience.
“I am very impressed with spectators. I think that Free Theater can boast such great viewers. It is clear that the public is hungry to watch a good theater and that people are very interested. It is just such a pleasure working for this audience”, Kai Ochrem said.
The play was well received, perhaps also because its topicality is totally understood by Belarusian spectators: abuse of children; loneliness; emptiness and despair. The Scissors is a social drama of one family where the father is a drunkard and the mother has to work, while the child belongs to itself and eventually commits suicide by piercing an eye with scissors… The representatives of the German theater did not expect that the Belarusians would receive the play by popular playwright Deo Loer even better than Germans.
The performance was simultaneously translated from German into Belarusian and was accompanied with live music. The music, in the view of Kai and actress Claudia, helped understand the play better than words.
“I think it is great when a German voice is heard, while the Belarusian text is overlaid. This creates an impression of shadows and continuation”, Kai Ochrem said.
The director noted that not only the public and social problems resemble in Belarus and Germany. Despite the difference in the mindset, the Free Theater and Kai Ochrem’s colleagues have a lot of things in common.
“We are interested in the topics that are covered up. We want to grab the attention of the public to these issues”, Kai Ochrem said.
This is his second visit to Belarus. Last time, together with Mikalai Khalezin’s troupe, Ochrem staged Grum-Grum. This time, the German director has more plans of cooperation with the Free Theater. Naturally, Belarusian actors have a lot of plans as well. The underground festival “The European Theater for Belarusian Audience” will continue, according to administrator Masha. She also told the European Radio for Belarus that the sequel of Generation Jeans will soon be presented to Minskers. It will be devoted to the issue of political disappearances.
“It is titled “Discover Love”. It is not a mono-format. There will be three actors performing and a DJ. The play is based on a true story of Irina Krasouskaya and her husband who disappeared. It will also narrate about similar stories from around the world”, Masha said.
After the premier, the troupe will take on a tour abroad and will open a theater school in Belarus. Graduates will work with the Free Theater as universal creators: actors, directors, playwrights at the same time.
The European Radio for Belarus reminds that in order to attend performances of the Free Theater, which was awarded with the prestigious French prize in the human rights field titled “Freedom – Equality - Fraternity” in 2007, you need to follow the posts in the internet, especially in by_theater and afisha_by. Ahead of every performance, contact phones are published there for those wishing to attend. When you call those numbers, you will be told where to come. The actual location of the stage is always secret. Admission is free of charge.
Photo: Charter'97
