Theatre in Kyrgyzstan
The Kyrgyz Drama Theatre
The other day I was walking back to the office from a meeting in the Hyatt, and happened to walk past the Russian Drama Theatre.
Outside there were some large posters advertising forthcoming attractions and one caught my eye. It wasn’t difficult to do so. It was hug – about 3 meters tall and 10 meters long. I thought it was advertising a performance of Romeo and Juliet and, as it’s one of my favourite of Shakespeare’s plays, I thought it might be nice to go along and catch a performance. The fact that it would be in Russian would not be a handicap as I already know the play quiye well.
Then I took another look … “Something’s wrong,” I thought to myself. ”Yes, that it!” It was advertising a play called Romeo and Juliet Dva - Romeo and Juliet 2.
Review of Romeo and Juliet 2 on the theatre's website (in Russian)
Apparently, it’s exactly what the title suggests – a sequel to Shakespeare’s play. It’s a new play based on an earlier one by the Russian playwright Grigory Gorin called “A plague on both your houses” which saw its première here on Independence Day, (August 31st. It’s a tragic comedy which follows the Montague and Capulet families following the events outline by the bard in his masterpiece. If you thought the two families might be reconciled following the deaths of the star crossed lovers, the author of this piece doesn’t agree. The families have been long nurturing enmity and he sees this continuing despite the Duke of Verona tasking them to find a couple to unite them in marriage.
As I walked up the side of the theatre I saw another 15 or 16 posters advertising the various plays in the repertoire for the company’s 77th season. They were smaller than one that had originally caught my attention being only about two and a half meters square, and included on for Shakespeare’s original play.
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Before the October Revolution of 1917, there was no professional Kyrgyz theatre. Popular entertainment was provided by the traditional manaschi, akyns and musicians such as komuzists. It was in 1926, with the creation of the Kyrgyz Musical-Dramatic Studio, that professional dramatic entertainment can be said to have been established.
On the basis of the Studio, in 1930, the Kyrgyz State Theater was established. In 1935 the company of the Russian Drama Theatre was established and the following year that of the Kyrgyz Theatre. The first performance was “Capital”, a play about the construction of the Moscow Metro, and it was followed by a premiere. The companies often perform premieres of new plays, especially by local authors – such as Chinghiz Aitmatov, but they also include in the repertoires a wide range of classics, including Chekhov and Shakespeare.
In 1938 a puppet theatre was opened in Bishkek. There is still a puppet theatre in the capital and another in Osh.
During the Second World War, the actors of the Kyrgyz Theatres performed for the troops at the front. Troupes have also performed in a number of festivals abroad.
Throughout the Republic there are currently 9 Drama Theatres, 6 Musical Theatres, 2 Puppet Theatres, 3 Philharmonia Concert Halls and the Circus … There are also a number of other concert halls and staged areas (such as the Kojumkol Sports Palace in Bishkek).
In Bishkek there are a number of theatres:
- Russian Drama Theatre – named in honour of the Soviet actor Krupskoi – The theatre was established in 1935, but the current building, in Oak Park was built in 1982. Currently it is the only Russian Drama Theatre in the country. The company performs a range of local and international plays – but performances are in Russian.
- Kyrgyz Drama Theatre – Panfilova Street / Abdumomunova – the company performs a range of local and international plays – performances are in Kyrgyz or Russian. The plans for the building were also used for construction of the theatre in Osh.
- Bishkek City Drama Theatre – in the Chernevsky Library – between the Theatre of Opera and Ballet and the Russian Drama Theater – a small, intimate, theatre – the company performs a range of local and international plays – performances are in Kyrgyz or Russian. Often hosts visiting international troupes as well.
- Youth Theatre – in the Pioneer House on Michurina.
- Puppet Theatre – on the corner of Sovietskaya and Michurina – performances on Sundays at 11:00am.
Performances normally start early: 4:00, 5:00 or 6:00pm
Bishkek