Novgorod Theatre Mali / RUSSIA
The wind is a great traveller; it is happy to help ships in the open sea and it raises dust on the most distant of roads. Silver bells ring with its help and numerous stories, brought by the wind from far away, come true. But where does the wind live? Let’s set off on a journey to find its home.
- ”Where does the wind live” awakened a multitude of sensations, emotions and feelings which cannot be summarised or classified. Theatre Mali enchanted us simply with the use of different-sized scraps and pieces of plastic covers: art, illusion or magic?
- Nadezhda Alexeeva’s wordless play is probably a textbook example of the fact that art does not need language. Theatre Mali’s performance was the ultimate proof that words and conversations can be as unnecessary as expensive accessories. Where does the wind live is thus another reminder that art and beauty can stem from the simplest of things such as plastic, for instance.
- It is a surprisingly light and clear performance for the youngest audience that turns the wind into a living being. With the help of huge polyethylene strips, the wind literally bursts onto stage. At one moment, little viewers can feel a soft breeze; at another, a heavy gale from the ocean. A series of stories run past like they were gone with the wind: about a man who catches a firefly; about a brave boy with a fluttering scarf; about the colourful dreams of a sleeping girl.
- The play turns into a fountain of illusions and transformations”. The main character on stage is an element – the wind known from fairy tales and crossroads. It cannot be seen on stage, but the power of imagination makes it visible on the viewers’ faces. This non-verbal story about the search for the meaning of wind, presented by three actors and the wind that has to be fought against, listened to and heard, is perhaps more of a colourful adventure than a mere play. The director Nadezhda Alexeeva discovers the hidden ability of children to be close to elements without trying to control them and to dream in situations where grown-ups expect to find an arranged story.
Novgorod theatre for children and youth "Mali", founded in 1990, is headed by artistic director Nadezhda Alexeeva. The theatre is a member of International Association of theatres for children and youth (ASSITEJ), an IETM member and an active participant of projects of the Theatre Union of Russia. It has visited theatre festivals in Japan, South Korea, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, France, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and others, as well as Russian festivals in Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, etc. In 1992, theatre “Mali” founded the International Theatre Kingfestival, which is dedicated to mythology in theatrical sphere and has hosted more than 150 theatres from across the world. Nowadays, theatre "Mali" is a dynamically developing theatre space; there is room for experiment, transformation, and innovational forms. The theatre is not afraid to expand genre borders and creates both drama performances as well as performances of object and movement theatre.