Nowruz 2017: theatre of the absurd, classic and folklore at 6 million rubles

Five theatre venues of Kazan will host the festival

International theatre festival of Turkic-speaking countries Nowruz opens in June in Kazan. The previous Nowruz held two years ago was devoted to the theatre of Kazakhstan, the heroes of this fest will be the theatres of Sakha-Yakutia. Read details in the article of Realnoe Vremya.

The festival at six million rubles

This year, Nowruz is held from 5 to 9 June. Five theatre venues of Kazan are ready to welcome its participants. It is Galiasgar Kamal Tatar State Academic Theatre, the festival will take place in two halls — large and small ones, Russian Young Spectators' Theatre, Tatar state drama and comedy theatre named after Karim Tinchurin, and the puppet theatre Ekiyat.

The biggest team comes from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) — five theatres. It is no coincidence, because since recently at Nowruz they select in advance one of the major theatre schools, their plays dominate. Two years ago, it was the theatres of Kazakhstan, this year it is the theatres of the Republic of Sakha.

In Kazan, it is expected visits of the Academic theatre named after Oyunsky, the folk theatre Olonkho, the Young Spectator's Theatre, the variety theatre and the puppet theatre. In addition to the participants from the Republic of Sakha, it is expected the theaters from the Altai, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chuvashia, Bashkortostan, Kazakhstan, Tuva, Khakassia and, of course, Tatarstan. In total, over three hundred participants will come to Kazan to Nowruz. The festival budget is slightly less than 6 million rubles.

The founders of the festival are the Tatarstan Ministry of Culture with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, as well as STD of RSFSR and RT, the organizer of the festival — the Kamal Theater, it carries on its shoulders all of the administrative burdens. Artistic Director of Nowruz is the chief director of the Kamal Theatre, the chairman of the STD RT Farid Bikchantaev, Director — Ilfir Yakupov, the director of the Kamal Theatre, Program Director — the head of literary part of the Kamal Theatre Niyaz Iglamov.

''We proceed from the actual situation with the theaters of a nation. In Yakutiya, there are ten theatres, the theatre culture of this people is very authentic, so this year we dedicate Nowruz to the Yakut theatre,'' commented on the situation Niyaz Iglamov to Realnoe Vremya.

In Yakutiya, there are ten theatres, the theatre culture of this people is very authentic, so this year we dedicate Nowruz to the Yakut theatre, commented Niyaz Iglamov. Photo: sntat.ru

Karol and Warrioress

The first performances of the festival can be attended already on 5 June, before the official opening. Among them, for example, there are All floating and clouds floating — a performance of the Kamal Theatre about the fate of the poet Khasan Tufan, the absurdist comedy by Mrożek Karol performed by the troupe of the Tinchurin Theatre, Warrioress — the play by the heroes of the fest, Yakut artists. At 21 p.m. in the amphitheatre on the bank of Kaban Lake, there will begin the grand opening of Nowruz, the presentation shows the variety theatre of Yakutia.

The events of Nowruz are very diverse. There is a certain trend — the theatre of the absurd. The performances in this genre, in addition to the Tinchurin Theatre, were brought from Sakha-Yakutia. It is the tragicomedy by Ionesco Exit the King and the absurdist drama Awakening by Sofya Baranova-Sergachyova. There is also classics — The Cherry Orchard from Kazakhstan, Richard Sh from the same country, rarely staged comedy of Branislav Nušić PhD of Balkarian theatre.

The Kamal theatre included historical drama Unmoored staged by Georgy Tskhirava into the festival playbill. The theatre from Almetyevsk brings Runaways of Naki Isanbet, Antigone by Farid Bikchantaev comes from Ufa, which was successfully performed during M. Gafuri Academic Theatre's tour in Kazan.

There is a traditional honourable guest – this time it is Р.А.А.М from Estonia whose company will perform Werewolf staged by Yakutian director Sergey Potapov. This play will end Nowruz on 9 June.

The events of Nowruz are very diverse, however, there is a certain trend — the theatre of the absurd. Photo: kamalteatr.ru

It should be reminded the first international theatre festival of Turkic-speaking countries took place in Alma-Ata in 1989 but was not held during five years due to the dissolution of USSR. As a result, Tatarstan took it under its wing. Reborn Nowruz started to take place here from 1998. Now the festival is biennial alternating with Nowruz educational forum.

Tickets to Nowruz are already available in Kazan ticket offices, the prices are very reasonable.

By Tatiana Mamaeva