Dramatist: Performance about Nyaklyayeu will be shown in Belarus someday
Yelena Gremina has described why the topic of Nyaklyayeu’s imprisonment interests Russians, who is imposing Stockholm syndrome on us and where the new performan
Moscow Theatre.doc has started rehearsing the new performance “Two in your house”. The plot written by Yelena Gremina’s documentary play is a story of the house arrest of Belarusian poet and ex-presidential candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu. Mihail Ugarov is the producer. According to him, one of the actors talking about contra-indications for the work asked him: “Won’t they kill us?”
Theatre.doc is famous for its original performances. For example, performances about Moscow squats, “Light My Fire” based on Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix’ interview were out last season.
Yelena Gremina, dramatist and author of the play, has visited Euroradio.
Euroradio: Why have you chosen this plot? Were you impressed by the events in Belarus after December 19 so much?
Gremіna: Our theatre and our staff are watching the events in Belarus. Belarusians are our closest neighbours and we think that many things happening in Belarus resemble the events in Russia that may face the same problems in the end. We do not think that it is a story about a country we do not understand. It also concerns us. Our problems are quite similar.
Euroradio: How do you expect Russian viewers to accept the play?
Gremіna: The play is for everyone who values the notion of freedom. It is a story about a situation when two KGB members are present in your little flat watching your every step all the time and restricting your liberty. The situation of restriction of liberty is common not only in Belarus but also in Russia and in some other states.
Euroradio: Where are the limits of this freedom in your opinion? Maybe they are only seen onstage in Russia too?
Gremіna: It is also very important and it will be present in our performance – the person’s attitude to what is being done to him. In particular, we will also cover the notion imposed on us by the civilization – Stockholm syndrome or cooperation with the person oppressing you: never irritate terrorists or rapists, just cooperate with them. The civilization keeps broadcasting the idea thus destroying the very notion of heroism. We touch upon it in our performance.
Euroradio: Your protagonist is Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu. Who is he in you play – a politician, a poet or an ordinary person whose liberty is limited by his house walls?
Gremіna: In the first place, we are studying a certain situation. However, the personalities of our protagonists influence our decisions. We know that this person is a talented poet who has his own world outlook. It is a free person, a person trying to withstand the force of the merciless state. I think that it intensifies the collision.
Euroradio: Will Belarusian viewers be able to watch your performance?
Gremіna: We can always come and play it if you like. Our first night will be at a festival in Helsinki. The first performance will be given at the drama festival “Lyubimovka” in Moscow. But we are ready to go to Belarus and we believe that it will happen someday.
