A press-conference dedicated to artistic planning of the Theatre of Nations for the season 2016-2017 was held at the New Space of the Theatre of Nations on 16th of September 2016.

It featured the following speakers: Evgeny Mironov (artistiv director of the Theatre of Nations); Maria Revyakina (director of the Theatre of Nations); Irina Prokhorova (founder of the Mikhail Prokhorov Foundation); Irina Burbo (chief expert in charge of investment and social poliocies at SIBUR holding); Grzegorz Jarzyna (stage director of "Ivona, princess of Burgundia", Poland); Vera Martynov (curator of the New Space of the Theatre of Nations); Sherry Dobbin (author of the exhibition "Times Square(d): theatre of the absurd"); Dariusz Klechowski (director of the Polish Institute in Moscow); James Land (press atache for culture of the US Embassy).

Theatre of Nations has 7 new productions planned for its jubelee season, 5 of those to be staged on the main stage; new projects at the New Space located at the Strastnoy boulevard; and also regional programs to be presented in collaboration with the theatre's sponsors.

Premieres planned for the season to include:

"A Clockwork Orange"

Iconic distopia by Anthony Burgess is well-known by the public, thanks to the classic feature film by Stanley Kubrick, which brough the novel to cinema screens. However, a new unexpected angle at the story to be found by the young stage director Filipp Grigoryan (winner of the Golden Mask theatre award). The show focuses on the two major themes of the book: the aesthetics of violence, and the possibility to overcome it. "A Clockwork Orange" will open on 17-19 of September on the small stage.

"Ivona, princess of Burgundia"

First major strategy of the Theatre of Nations being the focus on the works of young directors (the one the Theatre has been following for the past 10 years under Evgeny Mironov's lead); there is also the second one, aimed at collaboration with star international stage directors. After a roaring success of "Hamlet | Collage" directed by Rober Lepage, and "Pushkin's Fairy Tales" directed by Robert Wilson, Russian audience has been waiting for a new masterpiece directed by a western maestro, to be presented by the theatre. And such masterpiece is coming up, as the Theatre of Nations invited Grzegorz Jarzyna - one of the brightest representatives of the Polish theatre, which is currently rapidly gaining popuilarity in Europe - to stage his first Russian show within its walls. "Ivona, princess of Burgundia" written by a Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz was chosen by Jarzyna for his Russian debut. It is a absurdist story of a royal family being penetrated by a strange silent girl Ivona, which provokes multiple inner conflicts within the family. The show is to open on the main stage of the theatre on 10 and 11 of October as past of the XI Territoria festival.

"The Lungs"

The Lungs by Marat Gatsalov, based on a play by british authoer Duncan MacMillan, - is yet another debut at the Theatre of Nations. This is a story of a young couple who attend public rallies, are engaged in charity work, and are really conscious about ecology. However, a hard question of whether or not to have a baby, given that the planet is dying of irresponsive behaviour of its inhabitants, shatters the family life. A take on this piece was already presented in Moscow by the Schaubühne theatre from Berlin, featured as part of the 2012 NET Festival. Inspired by the work of the German team, Marat Gatsalov (Golden Mask winner) decided to take up a Russian adaptation of the Lungs. Director Gatsalov staged some bold experimental works at the New Stage of Alexandrinskii theatre in Saint Petersburg, which until recently he also managed. Moscow public will have a chance to see the extraordinary insight of director Gatsalov and his collaborator designer Ksenia Peretrukhina in November on the small stage of the Theatre of Nations.

"Ivanov"

Moving from contemporary back to the classics, in December Theatre of Nations will stage the first play written by Anton Chekhov - "Ivanov". Even though the author himself cosidered this play unsuccessful, with such a star cast, to include Evgeny Mironov, Chulpan Khamarova, Elizaveta Boyarskaya, Igor Gordin and Viktor Verzhbitskiy - this production of Ivanov is bound to become a success. Originally it was supposed to be staged by Luc Bondi, world famous director of the theatre Odéon from Paris; the director's sudden death in November 2015 put the production of Ivanov at risk, but it was saved by a much loved by the Moscow audience 31 y.o. nonconformist Timofey Kulyabin. Theatre of Nations currently has a performance directed by Kulyabin in its roster - #shakespearessonnets; and another one - Euripides' tragedy "Electra" - once had the privelege to open the Small stage of the theatre. There's little doubt that Russian classics will be treated by the author of the notorious Tannhäuser in an equally vivid and non-traditional way. "Ivanov" is also worth seeing since this production will become a special milistone for the Theatre of Nations' artistic director Evgeny Mironov, who will turn 50 this November. The production is scheduled to open on December 24th and 25th.

"The Storm"

Next year in spring the main stage of the theatre will see yet another play we've all been familiar with since the high-school time - this be "The Storm" by Alexander Ostrovsky. The part of Katerina Kabanova, also known as the ray of light in the realm of darkness, to be performed by an outstanding actress of the new generation - Julia Peresild, well aquainted with the audience after having performing in the already mentioned "Electra" directed by Timofey Kulyabin. The production will be directed by the experienced Evgeny Marcelli, Golden Mask winner and leader of the Fyodor Volkov Theatre from Yaroslavl; Theatre of Nations once hosted his "A Couple of Poor, Polish-Speaking Romanians", a production by "Tilzit theatre" that won the XII Festival of small town theatres of Russia (this contest was founded by Evgeny Mironov in 1994 and has been effective ever since). The premiere of "The Storm" is scheduled for 31st of March and 1-2 of April 2017.

"The Audience"

It seems that Britich playwright Peter Morgan deliberately timed his creation of Russian version of his famous play "The Audience", to present it within the Theatre of Nations's jubelee season. In fact the new version of the text was created specifically to be performed by Inna Churikova, whose husband - Gleb Panfilov - will direct the production at the Theatre of Nations. "The Audience" - is a free tour to the backstage of the British political life. The play consists of Queen Elisabeth II dialogues with all Prime Ministers of the UK of the past 60 years, starting from Winston Churchill and up to David Cameron. A 2013 London production of the play featured the unrivalled Dame Helen Mirren in the lead part. In the opinion of the playwright, she can be matched by only one equally destinguished Russian actess - Inna Churikova. An opportunity to see her enacting the Queen of Great Britain will present itself on 11-13 of April at the main stage of the Theatre of Nations.

"The Circus"

The Circus directed by director Maxim Didenko will become a finishing touch to the spring parade of the premieres. The production is based on Grigiry Alexandrov's famous soviet-time music comedy film. The theatre production of the Circus will star Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė in the lead role. The actress and the director made a most successful artistic duo, together working on a production of Dostoevsky's the Idiot. And the scenic aperarance of the coming production will be developed by perhaps the most demanded theatre designer of these days - Maria Tregubova. The creative team is completed with the irreplaceable composer Ivan Kushnir. The production will premiere on 15 and 16 of May 2017 at the main stage of the theatre.

Material by the Ria-Novosti