Youth Theater of Yekaterinburg collaborates in national theater endeavor "Home Heating": participation in federal initiative "Heat of the Native Homestead"
In 2024, the "Warmth of the Native Home" project gained momentum with backing from Russia's Ministry of Culture. This project unfurled across eight federal districts, aiming to cultivate a shared sense of civic identity. These districts included the cityscapes of Astrakhan, Arkhangelsk, Vladikavkaz, Krasnoyarsk, Tula, Ulan-Ude, Ufa, and Yekaterinburg.
The project's mandate was clear: bolster the power of theatrical art in education, foster connections with young audiences, and maintain historical memory while promoting moral and spiritual values. As part of the project, two plays from local and guest theaters were showcased in each district. Following the performances, an educational lecture cracked open for education workers and cultural institution employees responsible for nurturing the future generations. Conversations between the performances and the lecture kept things interactive.
In Yekaterinburg's Youth Theater, the play "Blossom-Colorful" took center stage. Meanwhile, in Ufa, the Krasnoyarsk Theater for Young Audiences presented "All the Same." If the term "autofiction" isn't familiar, let me clarify: it's a genre where ordinary people's real-life experiences are documented in a literary style, making it a blend between an autobiography, memoirs, diary, and documentary prose.
Elena Polovinkina, an actress from the Krasnoyarsk TYU, took the stage in "All the Same." Rather than playing someone else, she shared her personal experiences and memories. Originally intended as a monologue, "All the Same" has been nominated for the "Golden Mask" award. Our correspondent was charmed by this performance and the subsequent discussion.
"Autofiction" might sound foreign, but it refers to the personal accounts of regular folks that have gained traction in contemporary literature and even stage performances. Think of Yevgeny Grishkovets' monodramas, for instance. "Autofiction" literally means "self-fiction" or "self-invention" in French and involves the author's genuine account of life events, albeit with a literary touch, composition, emphasis, and associations.
Elena Polovinkina, the play's creator, based it on her family memories. Four notebooks comprise these memories: her own as well as her mother's. Polovinkina proudly shares the story behind these notebooks, saying that she convinced her mother to record her childhood memories after initially refusing, citing doubts over who'd be interested. The performance in Yekaterinburg sparked an immediate conversation among audiences about the importance of preserving family memories and personal histories.
The play received an overwhelming response, and many in the audience shared their own memories, echoing the sentiments from different generations of one family. The minimal props used on stage — an old shawl, an aluminum teapot, a ball of wool, and letters to Father Christmas – added a sense of authenticity to the performance. After the play, the actress confirmed that these letters were indeed real, written by her children.
The "Warmth of the Native Home" project aims to facilitate conversations between theater specialists and audiences after performances, helping them develop critical thinking skills while watching productions. Projects like these generally emphasize community engagement, workshops, masterclasses, and organizing cultural festivals to preserve cultural heritage. They may also involve documentation of historical events, museum and exhibition development, and community storytelling.
- The actress Elena Polovinkina, from the Krasnoyarsk Theater for Young Audiences, shared her personal experiences and memories in the play "All the Same", a form of 'autofiction', which is a blend between an autobiography, memoirs, diary, and documentary prose.
- The play "All the Same" has been nominated for the "Golden Mask" award, and Elena Polovinkina, its creator, based it on her family memories recorded in four notebooks, her own as well as her mother's.
- In the performance of "All the Same", minimal props such as an old shawl, an aluminum teapot, a ball of wool, and letters to Father Christmas were used, adding a sense of authenticity.
- The 'Warmth of the Native Home' project, which gained momentum in 2024, highlights the importance of community engagement and aims to facilitate conversations between theater specialists and audiences.
- The project involves organizing cultural festivals, workshops, and masterclasses, and may also involve historical event documentation, museum and exhibition development, and community storytelling.
- The performance of "All the Same" in Yekaterinburg sparked conversations among audiences about the importance of preserving family memories and personal histories.
- 'Autofiction' might sound foreign, but it refers to the personal accounts of regular folks that have gained traction in contemporary literature and stage performances.
- "Autofiction" literally means "self-fiction" or "self-invention" in French and involves the author's genuine account of life events, albeit with a literary touch, composition, emphasis, and associations.
- If the term "autofiction" isn't familiar, think of Yevgeny Grishkovets' monodramas as an example.
- The "Warmth of the Native Home" project also highlights the power of theatrical art in education and fostering connections with young audiences, promoting moral and spiritual values, and maintaining historical memory.
