Hamlet. Screen | NUKU
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Hamlet. Screen

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1 h 40 min|Young person, Grown-up|Ferdinand Hall

A newly premiered version of Shakespeare’s powerful and influential tragedy staged by the Russian legendary and innovative director Ruslan Kudashov, the Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg Bolshoi Puppet Theatre. The performance consists of so-called “hamletones”, short, sometimes laughable stories based on the plot of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. The authors of the performance create their own mythological space. The genre of the performance is defined as “postpunkpuppetshow”.

A clownish and farcical take on the tragedy. All roles are played by men, just as in Shakespeare’s days, using open play, hand puppets and masks. Roaming the borders of dreams and insanity, life and death, Hamlet tries to uncover his father’s murder. It is an uncompromising struggle to reveal the truth. The show does not feel heavy, but rather like a humorous anguish created from a distance. The automated screen acts both as a set element as well as an independent character which, in its abstract way, feels like a moving borderline that separates us from the other side. But the story is twisted and it is far from clear, which side of the screen we are on. - Festival’s Artistic Director Leino Rei

Ruslan Kudashov is the artistic and stage director in St. Petersburg Bolshoi Puppet Theatre (BTK) since 2006. He has created more than 30 shows in various countries and theatres: puppet and drama performances and pantomimes, but mostly puppet shows that combine different elements (shadow theatre, masks, marionettes and hand puppets alongside actors’ open play). He has directed for both children and adults, constantly searching and growing.
Ruslan Kudashov is first and foremost a philosopher, who speaks through his work about the most important things in life, using all theatrical means available. His shows are metaphoric and carry a philosophical message, which often expresses a belief in the goodness of people and the world.
Previously, the audience of the Treff Festival has had the opportunity to see five performances by Ruslan Kudashov: “The Moon of Salieri” in 2007, “Us” in 2011, “Penitence and Absolution” in 2012, “Shakespeare’s Laboratory” in 2013 and “The Song of Songs” in 2016.

Bolshoi Puppet Theatre (BTK) is already 88, but is young at heart, ready to continue its search for the new ways in art and fi ght against the stereotypes stuck to puppetry. The repertoire includes a variety of shows for both children and adults, classical and experimental, puppet and live-drama, physical and musical, from The Round Little Bun to William Shakespeare. The Chief Director of BTK since 2006 Ruslan Kudashov is a multiple winner of various prizes and festivals. The new life of BTK began in 2006 when Kudashov’s acting class from the St. Petersburg Academy of Dramatic Arts joined the company. This «new blood» injection started a sequence of experiments, combining a diverse variety of genres and techniques, attracting new audiences to the theatre and invariably participating in prestigious festivals and receiving awards.

Performance at
May 25, 8pm Get ticket