The Theatre Times: On the first day of the Russian invasion, the ProEnglish Theatre in Kyiv, the only English-speaking theatre in Ukraine, transformed its premises into a bomb shelter for artists and locals. But they’re not just sheltering from the dangers of war, they’re continuing to make art for their community. Borisav Matić speaks to the director, actor, teacher and founder of the ProEnglish Theatre, Alex Borovenskiy about the current moment and the history of the theatre.
2 comments:
This is an incredible story, and I find it so inspiring. It reminds me that art is indispensable no matter what, and that as an artist I will continue to make art no matter my situation. The situation in Kyiv is obviously unimaginable as someone who has never experienced war first hand, and the resilience of these artists is awe inspiring. I also find this to be a perfect example of both adapting and persevering through tumultuous times because the theater now acts as a bomb shelter while also still producing art. This is the sort of thing that movies are made about, and I hope some awesome art comes out of this company while they also provide shelter for the Ukranian people. I worry for them, being in the center of Kyiv, and I pray that these people remain safe within the walls of Proenglish theater despite the war raging around them.
One of the best things about theatre or live entertainment is that it brings people together, whether it's working on the actual show or like physically sitting them down. If you're into being around people for an extended amount of time it's nice to just feel the presence of others. So this theatre group in Ukraine, who already had facilities to hold large amounts of people makes so much sense but it's also really endearing and it's admirable. It's just the idea of helping especially in the midst of a fucking war. It's taking care of people to the highest magnitude and it shouldn't be overlooked the kindness and humanity shown in this theatre company. But that's just an observation, and not what the actual article was talking about. The idea that art is such a luxury feels disconnected from what art actually is meant to be. Art just is, it doesn't matter who makes it or when it's being made, but it's there to make us feel like human fucking beings. To do whatever we want and make it for people to feel whatever we're feeling or to say something important. It's necessary especially in times of great despair and trouble and yeah I think we need art more than ever right now.
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