Performance «Piebald dog running along the shore» by the Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater named after M. Zhangaziev
Genre: Ritual Performance
Age Rating: 14+
Duration: 60 minutes
Language: both Kyrgyz and Russian
Venue: Big Stage
Date and Time: October 21, 18:00
Creative Team:
- Author – Chingiz Aitmatov
- Director – Anton Zaitsev
- Set Designer – Asiya Kurmanalina
- Composer – Yaroslav Zhukov
- Choreographer – Saltanat Beimisheva
About the Performance:
Where the grey waters of the ocean merge with the cold sky, the vast expanses of the Sea of Okhotsk coastline begin.
On the puppet theater stage, Chingiz Aitmatov's renowned literary work transcends the boundaries of everyday realism and transforms into a captivating ritual. Here, puppets, masks, actors, and the primal forces of nature come together to create a unified artistic world.
Director Anton Zaitsev, known for his exploration of a universal theatrical language that brings together the expressive possibilities of theater, offers audiences more than a story of a fateful hunting expedition. He presents a defining moment of coming of age and spiritual transformation, where time itself seems to stand still. It is the story of four generations of men stranded together in a single boat in the middle of the vast sea. As the fog thickens and fresh water runs out, nature confronts humanity with its most difficult and essential questions. Where does fear end, and where does self-sacrificing love begin?
The artistic language of the performance is rooted in expressive simplicity and a sensory perception of the world. The stage comes alive through the elemental materials of nature – sand, water, and wood. Sand becomes a symbol of fleeting time and the land that has suddenly disappeared beneath their feet. Water embodies the breathing, surging ocean, capable of swallowing human lives. Puppets crafted from natural wood reveal human fragility, inner resilience, and an inseparable connection to one's roots. Thick ropes held by the actors become the knots of human destinies, symbolizing both the bonds of fate and the delicate ties between generations.
Through expressive stage movement and artistic metaphors drawn from the elements of nature, the audience embarks on a spiritual journey through the fog towards the long-awaited shore – the rock of the Pied Dog, which lives within the soul of each of us.
About the Theater:
The Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater named after M. Zhangaziev was founded in 1939. A significant contribution to its establishment was made by M. Volkova, a director and actress who arrived from Leningrad. In 1945, the arrival of director and playwright V. Shvemberger brought new momentum to the theater's creative development, and a Kyrgyz troupe was established. From that point onwards, the theater began performing in two languages.
Throughout its nearly 90-year history, the theater has staged approximately 500 productions based on works of national and international drama. The company has toured Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and other countries, and participated in international cultural events across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central America. Having received certificates of honour from several countries, the theater is now regarded as one of Kyrgyzstan's leading performing arts companies for children.