Moscow Theatres for Young People: A Cultural History of Ideological Coercion and Artistic Innovation, 1917–2000

310 Pages·2006·1.705 MB·English

by  Manon van de Water (auth.)

Moscow Theatres for Young People
“Palgrave Studies in Theatre and Performance History” is a series devoted to the best of
theatre/performance scholarship currently available, accessible, and free of jargon. It
strives to include a wide range of topics, from the more traditional to those performance
forms that in recent years have helped broaden the understanding of what theatre as a
category might include (from variety forms as diverse as the circus and burlesque to
street buskers, stage magic, and musical theatre, among many others). Although histor-
ical, critical, or analytical studies are of special interest, more theoretical projects, if not
the dominant thrust of a study, but utilized as important underpinning or as a histori-
ographical or analytical method of exploration, are also of interest. Textual studies of
drama or other types of less traditional performance texts are also germane to the series
if placed in their cultural, historical, social, or political, and economic context. There is
no geographical focus for this series and works of excellence of a diverse and interna-
tional nature, including comparative studies, are sought.
The editor of the series is Don B. Wilmeth (EMERITUS, Brown University), Ph.D.,
University of Illinois, who brings to the series over a dozen years as editor of a book
series on American theatre and drama, in addition to his own extensive experience as an
editor of books and journals. He is the author of several award-winning books and has
received numerous career achievement awards, including one for sustained excellence in
editing from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education.
Also in the series:
Undressed for Successby Brenda Foley
Theatre, Performance, and the Historical Avant-gardeby Günter Berghaus
Theatre, Politics, and Markets in Fin-de-Siècle Parisby Sally Charnow
Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in Brainby Mark Pizzato
Moscow Theatres for Young Peopleby Manon van de Water
Absence and Memory in Colonial American Theatreby Odai Johnson
Moscow Theatres for Young
People: A Cultural History of
Ideological Coercion and Artistic
Innovation, 1917–2000
Manon van de Water
MOSCOWTHEATRESFORYOUNGPEOPLE
© Manon van de Water,2006.
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2006 978-1-4039-7298-9
All rights reserved.No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published in 2006 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™
175 Fifth Avenue,New York,N.Y.10010 and
Houndmills,Basingstoke,Hampshire,England RG21 6XS
Companies and representatives throughout the world.
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave
Macmillan division of St.Martin’s Press,LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.
Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States,United Kingdom
and other countries.Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European
Union and other countries.
ISBN 978-1-349-53422-7 ISBN 978-1-4039-8469-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9781403984692
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Water,Manon van de.
Moscow theatres for young people :a cultural history of ideological
coercion and artistic innovation,1917–2000 / Manon van de Water.
p.cm.— (Palgrave studies in theatre and performance history)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1.Theater and state—Russia (Federation)—Moscow.
2.Theater—Political aspects—Russia (Federation)—Moscow.
3.Children’s theater—Russia (Federation)—Moscow.I.Title.II.Series.
PN2045.C6W38 2006
792’.0947’31—dc22 2005048287
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd.,Chennai,India.
First edition:April 2006
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Dave,
Karlijn, and Max
This page intentionally left blank
x
Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Note on Transliteration xi
Selected Glossary of Terms xiii
Credits xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction 1
I TheSovietPeriod
1. From Marxism–Leninism to Perestroika
and Glasnost 17
2. The Historical Role and Cultural Function
of Russian Theatre for Young Audiences 41
3. Thaw and Freeze 63
II PerestroikaandGlasnost
4. The Change in Cultural Function with
Glasnost and Perestroika 87
5. Central Children’s Theatre 113
6. The Moscow Theatre of the Young Spectator 137
viii Contents
III A NewMillenium
7. Cultural Shifts and Theatrical Innovation 167
8. Shaking the Past: The Russian Academic
Youth Theatre 187
9. Provoking Assumptions: Kama Ginkas at the Mtiuz 207
Afterword 235
Notes 241
Bibliography 267
Index 293
x
List of Illustrations
2.1 A Tale about Tales. Central Children’s Theatre.
Photo credit unknown 61
3.1 My friend Kolka!1959. Central Children’s
Theatre. Photo credit unknown 72
5.1 Pitfall Size 46,Medium. 1986.Central Children’s
Theatre. Photo by B. Kravets 115
5.2 Dream to be Continued. 1986. Central
Children’s Theatre. Photo by B. Kravets 118
5.3 Ivanushka-the-fool. 1988. Central Children’s
Theatre. Photo credit unknown 123
6.1 Dog’s Heart. 1987. Mtiuz. Photo credit unknown 142
8.1 Façade of the Central Children’s Theatre. 2000.
Photographed by author 188
9.1 Genrietta Ianovskaia and Kama Ginkas
Photo by Elena Lapina and Andrei Turusov 208
9.2 The Storm. 1997. Mtiuz. Photo by
Ken Reynolds 210
9.3 K.I. from “Crime.”1994. Mtiuz. Photo by
Viktor Bazhenov 219
9.4 Pushkin. Duel.Death.1999. Mtiuz. Photo
by Ken Reynolds 225
9.5 The Black Monk: 1999. Mtiuz. Photo by Elena Lapina 229