Dmitry Tomilin, Mariya Nosova, Yevgeny Glazov
BRInging ContinentS together! This is how we deciphered the acronym BRICS, and this is what we used for motto at the International Festival of BRICS Theater Schools. The Festival is a unique event in the theater world, when representatives of different schools and genres act in different languages in the same performance. The differences of language and appearance are no hindrance to seeing the beauty of the piece and the mosaic of stage features in a single play, and this sets people seriously thinking about the fact that we are all humans on the same planet Earth.
The idea of the Festival originated in 2016, at the Institute of Theater Art named after People’s Artist of the USSR Joseph Kobzon (at the time administered by Joseph Kobzon). While the BRICS countries were furthering relations in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres, we thought we’d let the politicians do their job, while our task was to create an atmosphere of friendship and unity between peoples. To teach people to understand each other through art and culture. It is not enough to feed a person; they will still crave for spiritual nourishment as well. Art is the best language of communication between peoples in different countries, of different ethnicity, religions, color, and mindsets; it is democratic and comprehensible. The uniqueness of the Festival is that it has a global scope and is a graphic example of the entire diversity of theater talent of BRICS students and Festival visitors. And fully aware of this, we help the Festival give a creative impulse to creative friendship between different countries.
The first Festival of Theater Schools was held in 2017. By now we have had three of those. Each was hosted by downtown Moscow in an atmosphere of love and joy. It showed the extent of Moscow’s hospitality and of the Russian people’s friendliness. Theater art affects people in a very special way demonstrating an exclusive example of constructing partnership relations between various states. Over the years the Festival kept expanding; in 2019 the BRICS countries were joined by Armenia and Belarus, while in 2020 theater schools from France and Germany are also willing to take part.
Undergraduates from each country brought over fragments of one and the same piece of drama. In 2017 it was Romeo and Juliet; in 2018, The Servant of Two Masters; in 2019, Oedipus Rex, and in 2020 the audiences will see Mother Courage and Her Children. The theater schools offer their own version of the play previously selected by all the participants, their national vision, and stick to their own country’s tradition. For instance, a Harlequin-like character, every bit as poor, hungry and smart, helped the theater school from Brazil nurture the protagonist for Carlo Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters. The Chinese school united the features of drama and Beijing opera, so young Juliet was not only gentle, but also admirably rhythmical. The RSA scho ol added a taste of Af rica to its staging, both in singing and in choreography, showing the national color of its country. Therefore, the dusky Juliet from South Africa impressed the public with her skilful handling of the African national drum, and looked eminently organic next to the fair-skinned Romeo. India performs in Hindi and uses masks as part of costume, which imparts to the whole thing a vivid f lavor of the traditional Indian theater.
To give the visitors a better insight into Russian culture, we decided to hold each opening ceremony of the Festival in the Russian national style, flamboyantly and lushly. Russian folk songs, skomorokhs (clowns) and jokes kindled the public exciting interest both in Russian culture and in the Festival itself. And we were proved right. The Festival attracts large numbers of viewers. People come expressly to see unique productions from various countries that they can see strictly here and now, during the Festival. Rehearsals are held in the open, and the viewers have a chance to get behind the curtain, as it were, watching the work of the director, how and whence images or iginate, and the real performance is made.
At the closing ceremony of the Festivals all the participants take part, and the whole thing gets so multifarious that it cannot fail to excite positive emotions, especially when the actors release pigeons; tears start flowing involuntarily, and everyone wants to return to the Festival over and over again…
The International Festival has become a major festivity not only for the artistic youth who devote their life and career to theater art, but also for the common viewers. The language of the stage, culture, esthetics unites different people the world over. And a person who watches a performance like that understands only too well what is happening on the stage, even though the action is in different languages. The Festival offers a unique chance to students from different countries to exchange theater traditions and experience on the same stage, display their art before the general public and make new friends.
Someone may ask, So who was the winner? But… the Festival is no contest; the point is not to find out who is better and who is worse. This is a common site for communication. Each participant, in lieu of prizes and awards, will take to their home country new friendships and a unique experience. But the most important thing the youngsters take with them is their impressions of Russia. And not only of Russia, come to that; the participants will get to know how people live in other countries, and will understand that all share the same problems and joys.
The thing we once devised has become a source of progress for the inner outlook of young people in various countries, expanded the scope of modern forms of culture and art, and given an impetus for further development of friendly relations. We would like to see the Festival help form a cultural environment, year in year out, stemming from the historical and theatrical heritage, and traditional values of world cultures.
All the participants are trying to impart to the Festival true meaning of creation, making it into a vivid example of good will, and desire of BRICS peoples for mutual cooperation and understanding. The urge to bring closer various cultures has a profound interrelation and is perfectly natural. The positive mood of each participant consolidates mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between peoples, promoting the formation of civil solidarity, and resistance to extremism in the youth environment. The common international performance shows how people from different countries can exist in peace and harmony, solving the same problem without enmity.
Dmitry Tomilin Rector of the Institute of Theater Art Mariya Nosova Vice-Rector of the Institute of Theater Art Yevgeny Glazov Acting teacher of the Institute of Theater Art.
International Affairs
