Bolshoi Puppet Theater (St. Petersburg): history, repertoire, address

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

The Bolshoi Puppet Theater (St. Petersburg) opened its first season back in 1931. Its creators were musician M. G. Aptekar, actors A. A. Gak, N. K. Komina, A. N. Gumileva and artist V. F. Komin. The theater's first performance was called Incubator.

History

The Bolshoi Puppet Theater (St. Petersburg) in 1932 was headed by a student of V. Meyerhold, director S. N. Shapiro. Under him, the repertoire included performances based on classical works and on modern themes. In 1939 the theater became known as the "Second Leningrad". In 1940, the troupe received premises on Nekrasov Street. During the siege of Leningrad, the surviving actors, along with the dolls, were evacuated to Siberia. They showed fairy tales for children and satirical performances for adults. Artists performed on ships, in factories, in hospitals.

Since 1954, performances for an adult audience have appeared in the repertoire. In 1955 the theater was given the name "Leningrad State Bolshoi Puppet Theatre". In the 60-80s of the 20th century, the troupe traveled to different countries and received prestigious awards. In the 1990s, the repertoire included worksF. Durrenmatt, M. Zoshchenko, N. Gogol, D. Bisset and others.

Building

BTK is located in a building built in 1912. It has survived to this day unchanged. The building was designed by the architect I. P. Volodikhin. The house belonged to the honorary citizen of the city A. E. Burtsev, who was a collector and bibliophile. Inside, several exhibition halls were provided, where rare books, drawings, historical documents, paintings and autographs were exhibited, which were collected by the owner of the building. In the 1920s, the building was rebuilt as a theater. Various troupes worked here. Since 1938, the building has been given to the Bolshoi Puppet Theater, and to this day the BTK is located in it.

Repertoire

The Bolshoi Puppet Theater (St. Petersburg) offers its audience the following performances:

• "Viy".
• "At Christmas, everyone is a little wise."
• "One Hundred Shades of Blue".
• "Minutes of Life".
• Walking with Winnie the Pooh.
• "Dog Kurnos and Company".
• "We".
• The Little Prince.
• "Life".
• "Tom Canty's Notebook".
• The Book of Job.
• "Bashlachev. Singing Man.”
• "The Nutcracker".
• "Sundust".
• Fabulamachia.
• The Three Little Pigs.
• “Vysotsky. Requiem.”
• "Toibele and her Demon".
• Shakespeare Lab.
• "Letters from the Ashes".
• "Little Christmas Tree's Big Journey"
• "Dwarf Gnomych and Raisin".
• "Kholstomer".
• Nirvanapati.
• Romeo and Juliet.
• "A couple of days and that's it."
• "The Secret of the Christmas Tree".
• Chock Pig.
• "A tale for naughty bear cubs".

And others.

Troup

The Bolshoi Puppet Theater (St. Petersburg) is a wonderful troupe of talented people. 26 actors and actresses serve here. BTK Troupe:

• A. Knyazkov;
• S. Stotsky;
• O. Shchurova;
• S. Evgranov;
• E. Mirzoyan;
• A. Trusov;
• T. Barkova;
• V. Martyanov;
• I. Sergeev;
• R. Galiullin;
• B. Matveev;
• A. Shishigin;
• V. Ilyin;
• A. Melnik;
• A. Zorina;
• D. Pyanov;
• N. Tarnovskaya;
• M. Solopchenko;
• O. Evgrafova;
• R. Kudashov;
• A. Kupriyanov;
• P. Vasiliev;
• A. Somkina;
• O. Gaponenko;
• E. Mironova;
• S. Byzgu.

Chief Director

The Bolshoi Puppet Theater on Nekrasov Street lives under the direction of Ruslan Kudashov. He became the artistic director of BTK in 2000, and since 2006 he has been the chief director. Ruslan was born in 1972. He is a graduate of the St. Petersburg Academy of Theater Arts. In 2000 he received the profession of an actor in the puppet theater, and in 2001 he was already a director. R. Kudashov received many awards for his performances. He is a multiple winner of competitions and festivals. In his piggy bank such awards as "Harlequin", "Golden Soffit", and even "Golden Mask". Ruslan was also awarded the medal "For Services toFatherland". Among his productions are not only puppet, but also pantomimic, dramatic, plastic and synthetic performances. R. Kudashov offers his viewers philosophical parables, talks to them about eternal truths, advises them to believe that there will definitely be light at the end of the tunnel, the main thing is to see it.

Workshop

At BTC (St. Petersburg) in 2006 a course of students was recruited. The Bolshoi Puppet Theater together with the Academy of Theater Arts of St. Petersburg educates future actors. The course is led by R. Kudashov. Students in his workshop were taught to master various puppet systems, to feel free in plastic and dramatic productions, to be actors, puppeteers, artists and directors in one person. Ruslan Ravilevich strives to develop the author's thinking in his students. Some of them, after graduating, stayed to work at BTK.

Kholstomer

This is a performance for adults, which is included in the permanent repertoire of the Bolshoi Puppet Theater. Together with the artists, the public will have to find answers to the questions: "What is living? Does it exist in order to endlessly satisfy the flesh? Does it suck everything out of life that it can reach? Does it appropriate everything that it wins? her if she doesn't exist?" The plot is based on the story of a horse. And it is told here not so much about how an animal lives among people, but about what a living creature is like among others. The tragedy of this story is notthat people are sometimes cruel. It lies in the fact that they do not have that organ that would give them awareness of their cruel attitude towards others. With this performance, BTK calls us to spirituality and mercy. The play premiered in 2008. The lead actor P. Vasilyev became the winner of the Golden Mask award.

Where is it and how to get there

Near the metro station "Chernyshevskaya" is the Bolshoi Puppet Theater (St. Petersburg). Its address: Nekrasov street, house number 10. You can also walk to the theater on foot from the metro station. "Rebellion Square". From "Vladimirskaya" ("Dostoevskaya") you can get to the BTK by any minibus or trolleybus. You need to drive along Vladimirsky Prospekt, then along Liteiny and get off at Nekrasov Street.