KYIV, Ukraine — Witches are having a second in Ukraine. Each feared and revered, these beings are thought to own supernatural powers that can be utilized for good and dangerous. Over the centuries, witches have been blamed for every kind of issues taking place to Ukrainians: droughts, floods, illnesses — even falling in love and beginning wars.
Now they’ve taken middle stage in a darkish musical comedy titled The Witch of Konotop, with performances promoting out all summer time on the historic Ivan Franko Theater within the capital Kyiv.
Folklore dropped at life
Primarily based on the 1833 satirical fiction by Ukrainian author Hryhorii Kvitka-Osnovianenko, the story pokes enjoyable at Ukrainian literature’s tendency to give attention to disappointment and tragedy. It takes place within the 1600s and follows the primary character, Zabryokha, a Cossack army chief, in his unsuccessful journey to put off witches whom he blames for his misfortunes.
All through the fast-paced, witty hour-and-a-half manufacturing, the viewers is handled to fantastically detailed Ukrainian folks costumes and gorgeous vocals set to conventional Ukrainian music.
There’s rejection, there may be love.
And there may be, after all, a witch hunt.
Moreover, in a twist that echoes at the moment, the primary characters obtain orders to hitch a marketing campaign to fend off an overreaching czarist Russia.
One play, many takeaways
Life underneath a sinister Russian risk is perhaps the obvious theme from this play. But, a fast survey of the forged and viewers at a current efficiency reveals the manufacturing’s true flexibility.
“Don’t kill girls, don’t mess with girls,” says actress Kateryna Artemenko, who performs one of many townswomen mistaken for a witch. She spoke to NPR backstage earlier than the present.
“No, it’s not a joke, after all,” Artemenko says. “The principle message is about folks attempting to idiot their future, however future will discover them.”
Actor Nazar Zadniprovskyi, who performs the ill-fated Cossack commander Zabryokha, views this play as a lesson in avoiding accountability. The 2 lead characters keep away from going to army drills so that they don’t should go to struggle, he says, and many individuals see a parallel with Ukrainian males dodging conscription at the moment.
Zadniprovskyi additionally attributes the play’s recognition to the clips which have gone viral on social media. There, Ukrainians from all walks of life weigh in.
Viewers member Markian Halabala of Kyiv says seeing buzz in regards to the play on-line is what first piqued his curiosity. He says it was tough to get tickets as a result of the play sells out so shortly. When he lastly noticed it, he felt the message was that you simply shouldn’t intrude in God’s will — like Zabryokha does within the play when he asks a witch to forged a spell on a girl to make her fall in love with him, although she loves another person. Halabala likens it to Russian President Vladimir Putin attempting to intrude in Ukraine’s path ahead as an impartial nation.
Nevertheless, theatergoer Olha Vasylevshka of Kharkiv says she thinks the play is about love.
“After all if the love is true, it doesn’t want any exterior help,” she says, laughing. “But when the love just isn’t true, nothing may also help it, not even a witch.”
Bought-out exhibits
Critics say audiences’ many interpretations of The Witch of Konotop are only one motive it’s been so widespread.
Ivan Franko Theater press liaison Olena Kyrychenko-Povolocka informed NPR the manufacturing has stuffed their practically 800-seat home for each efficiency this summer time and she or he expects to proceed that success. The play has dates on its web site via mid-September.
Another excuse for the play’s recognition could also be its ties to not solely Ukrainian folklore, but in addition to Ukraine’s real-life city of Konotop identified for witches.
Close to the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, a video surfaced on-line of a girl shouting at a Russian soldier sitting atop a tank.
“Do you even know the place you might be?” the lady shouts in a raspy voice. “You’re in Konotop — each second lady here’s a witch.”
She goes on to warn the soldier he won’t ever get an erection once more.
The video went viral in Ukraine, not simply due to the lady’s defiance, but in addition as a result of the video was from Konotop and Ukrainians instantly acquired the reference.
There’s been an total push to have fun Ukrainian tradition and literature since Russia’s invasion. Putin has repeatedly stated victory means nothing in need of Ukraine not simply shedding its sovereignty — but in addition its identification.
Ukrainians’ renewed curiosity in their very own tradition has pushed them again to theaters. Virtually all functioning theaters within the nation have returned to promoting tickets to full homes, in response to Olha Baibak with the Nationwide Union of Theater Employees of Ukraine.
“There’s a rising curiosity within the theater all through the nation,” Baibak wrote in an e mail to NPR. “New audiences have come, folks go for communication, for remedy, to reside some type of expertise.”
She says in addition they come to get away from actuality.
Performing additionally affords actors an escape.
Actor Mykhailo Kukuyuk, who performs the character Pistryak, the primary character’s crafty assistant, says it’s typically tough to dam out the challenges and horrors of struggle taking place exterior the theater. However performing is an honor that reminds him what he believes Ukrainians are preventing for.
“For theater, for handsome, lovely girls. It’s the main points, the sparks that make us alive — it’s arduous to place into one sentence,” he says.
Polina Lytvynova contributed to this report from Kyiv.