The first theatrical production based on S. Alexievich's book "The Last Witnesses" was staged on the Vitebsk stage

June 24, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. The first theatrical production based on the book by the famous Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich "The Last Witnesses" has been staged at the Yanka Kupala National Academic Drama Theater in Vitebsk, the director of the play Vladimir Savitsky told a BELTA correspondent. The premiere of the production, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders, will take place on June 30. Its content is a reflection of the book, which consists of monologues of children of war. Alexievich's book contains over 100 such stories. The older generation of Kolas Theater actors, the entire elite of the theater - Svetlana Okruzhna, Tadeusz Kokhtis, Petr Laman, Valentina Petrachkova and others - accompanied by the children's choir "Dvina" will read 20 of them. According to the script, elderly students, at the suggestion of their teacher, will talk about their childhood memories. But these are not biographies of children of the war years, but the most vivid memories of that time that remained in their memory for life. Terrible, touching, naive, with adult-like reasoning... Vladimir Savitsky's adaptation of Alexievich's book won the literary competition for the best work for staging for the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus, organized by the Ministry of Culture. The director of the Yanka Kupala National Theater chose the Vitebsk stage to bring his creation to life not by chance. "The action of practically every second monologue of 'The Last Witnesses' takes place in the Vitebsk region. Besides, this theater has a very special atmosphere," explained the author. Veterans of the Great Patriotic War will be invited to the premiere, as well as to other performance dates. However, the production, in Vladimir Savitsky's opinion, is primarily intended for young people. It is through the actors that he wants to ask young people, who do not know the horrors of war, whether it is necessary to remind them of the past tragedy today. And whether the current generation will be able to survive this hell and preserve human dignity, the ability to love and empathize, or whether humanity needs to go through such a "cleansing" every hundred years, or even more often, to remember and realize the full significance of universal human values? On the eve of the International Arts Festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk," another interesting premiere will take place on the stage of the Kolas Theater. On July 7, fans of theatrical art will be presented with the play "Hello, Albert!" by Vitaly Brazkovsky, dedicated to the 130th anniversary of Albert Einstein's birth. In a vivid artistic form, with the help of original staging techniques, the creators of the production will introduce the audience to the talented scientist, musician, and simply wise person. -0-