“The Dog” performed by the Alakai Aktobe Regional Puppet Theatre
Genre: Puppet drama based on a literary work
Age recommendation: 7+
Venue: Total Theatre
Date and time: 20 October 2023, 17:00
Creative team
Director: Anton Zaitsev.
Designer: Asiya Kurmanalina, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan.
Based on a short story by Nodar Dumbadze.
About the performance
The play tells of events in a small Georgian village during World War II. An incident that initially seems insignificant unexpectedly leads to tragedy, dividing the villagers’ lives into “before” and “after.” What happens makes each person reflect on their actions and involvement. The distinctive staging allows the audience to see the story through the Dog’s eyes, sensing and experiencing the world as it does. This unusual perspective explores profound human values. Good and evil, relationships between people, humanity’s connection with nature, cruelty and justice, compassion and friendship are lifelong concerns that resonate regardless of age, nationality, occupation, or experience.
Each viewer can explore these questions as deeply as their understanding and readiness allow.
The story of a stray dog may encourage us to see life differently and reconsider things we have taken for granted.
About the theatre
The Alakai Aktobe Regional Puppet Theatre opened on 29 November 1985. Its repertoire includes Kazakh and international folk tales, children’s literature, and adaptations of classic prose. The company performs in Kazakh and Russian. Its artistic work combines traditional puppet manipulation with a variety of stage techniques.