Puppet theater "Harlekin" (Omsk)

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Tetra of dolls is a fairy tale in reality. Thanks to the artists, motionless creatures come to life and give the audience magic in real life. One of these islands of fantasy is the Harlequin puppet theater in Omsk.

About the puppet theater

The theater was founded in April 1936. At that time, the acting troupe was not numerous - six people. This house of dolls developed very actively and productively. This is evidenced by the fact that two months later the theater opened its doors to the first young spectators and their parents with a production of Kashtanka. This performance was doomed to success because the main actors-puppets came from the Moscow Obraztsov Theater. A year after the start of its activity, Harlequin goes on its first tour, where new productions awaited the audience: Gosling, Gingerbread Man, Turnip.

During the Great Patriotic War, almost the entire troupe went to the front. But the life of the Harlequin Theater in Omsk did not end there. New actors were recruited from the evacuees, who gave a creative impetus to further development. Thanks to new faces, the repertoire of the theater ceasesconsist exclusively of small pieces, serious pieces are added.

After the war, the Omsk Puppet Theater was considered one of the strongest, according to critics. The performances stood out for their deep meaning and professional acting.

After the military events in the history of the theater, several more rounds of development and popularity stand out. The first comes in the sixties and seventies, the second - with the advent of a new director B. Salamchev. The last event gave a bright creative growth. The reputation of an experimenter is fixed for the Omsk puppet theater. At the same moment, the idea of animating the house of dolls and turning it into a storyteller appears. This concept is still key.

The Harlequin Theater is located in Omsk at 41 Karl Marx Avenue.

Participation in festivals

As mentioned above, almost from the very foundation of the Harlequin Theater, he began to tour and take part in various competitions.

The first appearance on the international stage was participation in the XX Puppet Theater Festival in the Czech Republic, where Omsk residents showed the mastery of Russian theatrical art in this area. They demonstrated their skills at numerous competitions in Finland, Italy, Serbia, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and even in China. Almost after each competitive trip, representatives of the Harlequin Theater from Omsk bring various awards and thanks. But it is worth noting that the most valuable gratitude for creativity is the smiles of children and adults.

In addition to participating in various competitions, the Omsk Puppet Theater is the organizer of the International Puppet Theater Festival “Visiting Harlequin”. This site was founded in 2009 and takes place, as a rule, twice a year. During the holding of such an event, more than 60 theaters from 28 countries of the world took part in it.

The main idea promoted by the organizers is theater without borders. This phrase means that during the days of the festival performances are played on the stage for both young spectators and teenagers. Performances within the framework of “Visiting Harlequin” are aimed at children from 2 to 16 years old. This event is competitive.

Poster of the Harlequin Puppet Theater in Omsk

Because this doll house has three stages that are open daily, the schedule of performances is quite extensive. In addition to the fact that every day the actors play from 3 performances, during the month there is a place for tours. In the poster for April 2018, the premiere of the production of "Geese-Swans" is planned for audiences from 2 to 4 years old. The following productions have also been prepared for this age group: “Uhti-Tukhti”, “Straw Goby”, “Confusion”, “About Little Raccoon”.

For children 3-4 years old, performances were prepared: "Turnip", "Beech", "The Tale of the Silly Mouse", "Mashenka and the Bear". From the age of 4, "Harlequin" recommends watching productions - "Mustachioed Striped", "Northern Tale", "Silver Hoof", "Hare, Fox and Rooster".

The following performances have been prepared for young viewers aged 5:"Puss in Boots", "Thumbelina". For school-age children, Harlequin will demonstrate: The Magic Ring, The Little Prince, The Bremen Town Musicians, Cinderella, Frozen.

Teenagers are recommended to watch "Raven", "Dwarf Nose", "Scarlet Sails" -forever". As part of the tour, "The Frog Princess", "Khanuma", "Havroshechka" will be shown.

The cost of tickets for all the performances presented ranges from 140 to 450 rubles.

Public feedback

The impressions of the audience after visiting the Harlequin Theater in Omsk remain extremely positive. Basically, the large building of the theater stands out, where you can take a walk with your child during the intermission or before the performance. As for the productions themselves, the audience highlights the professional play of the actors, which helps to fully immerse themselves in the action, and is also attracted by bright scenery and neat puppets.