The dolls... won!
The undisputed leader of the II National Theatre Award was the play "The Queen of Spades" by the Grodno Regional Puppet Theatre – four top awards!
The theatre week, full of incredible performances, diligent acting, and unexpected stage surprises, concluded on Monday evening with an equally interesting and impressive closing ceremony at the National Academic Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre.
The playful "journey" through theatrical towns with the "amateur traveler" Yuri Zhigmont and the German tourist Alex (actor Alexander Vergunov) eased the nominees' anxiety, greatly amused the evening's guests, and, frankly, even filled them with pride for their talented homeland. According to Yurka and Alex, music was born in Belarus (while Belarusians were splashing through swamps), as was art (artists here are born with a brush in hand), and dance first appeared (even ballet shoes originated here, they were just called "balotki" at first – our ancestors jumped on tussocks in them). That's what it turns out to be! And as for theatre, there's nothing to say. It's ours, ours! I am sure that those who attended the nominated performances of the II National Theatre Award have no doubt about this.
Off to the Scores!
Indeed, why do foreigners think that Belarus can only be visited for "boom-boom"? "We have many interesting things besides hunting!" – assured Mr. Yuri from the stage, appearing before the audience in his traditional hat and with his travel suitcase. – "For example, theatre!" "The-atre?" – interrupted Alex in red underpants, who visited Belarus from Germany – "Nix! It can't be..."
Indeed! To convince his German friend and the public, Zhigamont organized a whole journey through the cultural centers of Belarus. There were Nemavlyatki, and Partytura, and Dzyetsuki, and Lyalki... To get to one or another corner of theatrical Belarus, the hosts sailed by boat, jumped over tussocks, and rode in a cart, and in one of the scenes, the German tourist Alex even climbed to the ceiling! The audience was treated to a well-directed performance. With songs, jokes, dances... At the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, a dog aria was heard, angels in white gloves inspired the director, and dolls talked. Each of the scenes was an overture to the announcement of the winner in one of the ten nominations of the II National Theater Award. The laureates were announced by imposing actors of the Belarusian theater and the winners of the previous theater award. Opening the envelope was the most exciting moment. Actor Pavel Kharlanchuk-Yuzhakov, last year's winner of the "Best Male Role" nomination, was so "nervous" that he took a couple of minutes to open it – of course, playing to the audience. Moreover, he did it very naturally, thereby proving that he deservedly received the "Kupalinka" last year!
Living Dolls
Who, according to the 112 jury members, became the best this year? You won't believe it – the dolls! The main award of the II National Theater Award was given to the play "The Queen of Spades" by the Grodno Regional Puppet Theater, directed by Oleg Zhugzhda. The production won in the nomination "Best Performance," and also became a triumphator in three other nominations: "Best Puppet Theater Performance," "Best Female Role" (performed by Larisa Mikulich), and "Best Directing" (Oleg Zhugzhda).
— I don't know what's happening," said theater director Oleg Zhugzhda, spreading his hands as he went to pick up another "Kupalinka." — For the second year in a row, puppet performances are recognized as the best directorial works...
And what is happening? As Belarusian theater critic Richard Smolsky told "NG," puppet art vividly and convincingly shows that it is currently at a high European level.
— It is no coincidence that the directors of the leading puppet theaters in the country — both Aleksey Lelyavsky and Oleg Zhugzhda — are in demand; they stage performances in many leading European theaters, — Richard Bolislavovich said. — As for the drama theater, the situation is more complicated. Belarus experiences a shortage of talented directors. Besides Pininin and Kovalchik, it is difficult to find prominent individuals in our directing. And a director is, after all, an ideologist, a leader of theatrical work. Without him, there will be no theater.
Theatrical "Kupalinki" won over two more puppet theaters. The best performance for children was "The Magic Brush" by director Igor Kazakov of the Mogilev Regional Puppet Theater. And the best work of the set designer was recognized by the jury as Tatyana Nersisyan's work in the performance "The Wedding" by the Belarusian State Puppet Theater.
Puppets turned out to be ahead! It is not for nothing that in one of the overtures, the characters of "Kolykhanka" Topa, Yanochka, and Splyushka, in response to Malyavanich and the Snow Fairy's remark that it is good to work with them, the puppets — they don't argue with directors, never get sick, know their roles — suddenly replied: "Who are puppets? We are puppets? No, you are the puppets! It is you they dust off in the dressing rooms, and the director tells you where to go and what to say! And we are the most real and independent actors!"
For debut — a crystal
But let's not diminish the talent of the actors and directors of drama theaters – they also received awards. The winners in the nomination "Best Production based on the work of a contemporary Belarusian author" were "Classmates" by Yulia Chernyavskaya of the Mogilev Regional Drama Theater. The "Kupalinka" for the best male role went to Alexander Polazkov, an actor of the Belarusian Republican Youth Theater, for the role of Filimon Pupkin in the play "Mr. Minister". The play "The Abduction of Europa, or the Theater of Urszula Radziwill" by the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater was recognized in two nominations at once – "Best Choreographer-Director's Work" (Natalia Furman) and "Best Musical Arrangement" (composer Andrey Zubrich). The National Academic Drama Theater named after Yakub Kolas was awarded a special prize from "Narodnaya Gazeta" "For National Spirit and Civic Stance" for the play "Leonids will not return to Earth" based on the novel "It is impossible to forget" by Vladimir Karatkevich. Dear readers, you will be able to read more about the theater, the play, and its director Valery Anisenko later in "Narodnaya Gazeta".
During the closing ceremony, a special prize from the Ministry of Culture was awarded for contributions to the development of theatrical art in Belarus. This year, the winner was People's Artist of Belarus Gennady Garbuk, who, unfortunately, could not receive it in person due to health reasons. The Ministry of Culture also recognized the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus with an award for the best musical production of the 2011-2012 theater season for the opera "Aida".
Another award, the "Crystal Flower" for the best debut within the National Theater Award, was presented on stage along with the bronze "Kupalinka" awards. The chairman of the jury, Alexey Dudarev, presented it with wishes for a good start to Sergey Fromichov-Korsakov, an actor from the Drama Theater of the Belarusian Army (play "Woe from Wit").
What can you say: if even Alex from Germany decided to stay in Belarus at the end of the ceremony and try to get a job in a Belarusian theater, then the celebration was a success!