Thursday, March 28

Art in a helmet: Military theatres in the Far East

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⠀⠀Today, paying tribute to the memory of the image of Vladivostok in Soviet cinema, it is impossible not to remember the peculiar predecessor of cinema as such – theatre art.

⠀⠀The repertoire of military theatres was especially popular in the Far East, when during the Great Patriotic War the theatres of the Red Army were tasked with “more full-blooded “providing” with stage art to the workers of Far Easterners”. About this, the following lines can be found in the Red Banner newspaper: “The Red Banner Theatre team should contribute to the defeat of the hated enemy, creating images of fearless and persistent Soviet soldiers on stage.”


⠀⠀The state network of theatres in the Far East is formed in the first half of the 1930s: Regional Theatre named after Gorky, regional Youth Theatre, puppet theatre in Vladivostok, Suchansky Theatre of coal miners, Voroshilovsky (Ussuriysk) Drama Theatre (Spassky Kolkhoz-Sovkhoz Theatre by that time had already joined it), Theatre of the First Red Banner Army, Theatre of the Pacific Fleet, Theatre of Primorskaya Railway.

⠀⠀Turning to the repertoire of war years, it is possible to highlight the brightest plays, determine the ratio of classical and modern productions, the use of works by foreign authors, since the repertoire is not only a reflection of the genre specifics of the theatre, but also the specifics of time in general. Theatre posters and programs of performances that have survived to this day partly allow you to make an idea of the repertoire of Far Eastern theatres during the Great Patriotic War. The first Red Banner Theatre initially turned to the dramaturgy of the past. That’s how the ramp was lighted by the production “Soldier from the Front” based on the novel by V.P. Kataeva “I am the son of the working people”. This performance was the first work of the Red Army House theatre in the new composition.


⠀⠀Next time, two directors of the First Red Banner Theatre – N.G. Reznikov and A.S. Larsky – create the play “Ivan the Pigeon”. Although from a literary point of view this work was largely imperfect, but it met the moods and tasks of wartime and was solved in a heroic and romantic plan. She was quite stage, while giving rich material for acting and withstood more than three hundred performances.
 Her heroes are Soviet people in the first days of the war. The main role, the role of Ivan Golub – the old master of the plant, a hot patriot – was played by the main director A.S. Larsky. Here’s how the play was ambiguously said in the newspaper “Pacific Star”: “The play has a number of very serious shortcomings. Courage, unwavering will and fortitude are embodied in the image of Ivan Golub. These features are characteristic of every patriot of our country, every Soviet citizen – this is the main idea of the play. But straightforwardness, nudity of dramatic, and in the play and staged techniques, shallow images, intrigue built on external conflicts alone – all this undoubtedly reduces the value of the performance, the significance of the theme set in it…”

⠀⠀In the play “The guy from our city” K. Simonova staged by Yu.B. Shcherbakov’s critics also pointed to a large number of irregularities in both acting and directorial decisions, and the most serious objections were caused by the performance of the central role by the artist Belyaev. Nevertheless, it was noted that “…the performance attracts the preserved atmosphere of elevation and youth that the play penetrates”.

⠀⠀Soon director Reznikov staged the play “A long time ago”, dedicated to the theme of the Patriotic War of 1812. Critics noted that in this work the director managed to show genuine tact and taste, skilfully emphasising the most important thing in the characters of the play – their patriotic enthusiasm.

⠀⠀The Dramatic Red Banner Theatre worked a lot and fruitfully during the Great Patriotic War. At this time, performances are staged: “The guy from our city” by K. Simonova, “Professor Mamluk” F. Wolf, “A long time ago” by F. Gladkova, “Invasion” by L. Leonova and many others. The topical repertoire was often created by the artists themselves, any room was adapted to the stage. The theatre team, divided into brigades, gave 10-15 concerts a day.

⠀⠀Another military theatre operating in the Far East during this period was the theatre of the Red Banner Pacific Fleet (TOF). His summer touring repertoire included performances “Admiral Nakhimov”, “Pavel Grekov”, “Inspector”, “Our Sea” and other productions. The theatre also staged Gorky’s Vassa Zheleznov, Ostrovsky’s “Marriage of Belugin”, Gogol’s “Inspector” in a new stage edition, Ibsen’s “Nora” and others. Until the end of the war, the theatre works at the base in winter and only goes on tour to military and naval garrisons in summer.

⠀⠀The war significantly changed the relationship between the theatre and the audience, reduced the distance. The topics that sounded in the performances were close to the viewer, entering into a close dialogue with him, reflecting public moods. It was the repertoire that was given great importance, as the main creative task of theatres during the war was to raise the spirit of the personnel of military units of the Pacific Fleet and the Soviet Army. This is one of those periods of history when the theatre becomes especially attractive to the public as a place to discuss topical issues.

 

Editor: Varvara Kartushina

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