Ukraine welcomes experimental theater club NASHI.etc, empowering local independent artists

Ukrainian independent artists now have the opportunity and tools to put their creative ideas to fruition and develop their own artistic projects, using a new theater format — experimental theater club NASHі.etc.

Rubryka reports, referring to the Instagram of the creators of the theater.

What is the problem?

After the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, when Ukrainian people fought for their right to choose the direction of their country, democracy, and European values, Ukraine was set on the path of a cultural revival in many areas — fine arts, fashion, music, nightlife, and public activism. 

However, the theater — even though it has reached a new level of development — remains tied to institutions, which puts independent artists in certain frameworks, restraining their experiments and the development of new multidisciplinary formats.

What is the solution?

The idea of the theater incubator NASHi.etc came to be to give impetus to the development of modern Ukrainian theater. The founders of NASHi.etc are Romana Soutus, a theater expert of Ukrainian origin, and Sofia Yushchenko, who became the theater's executive director.

NASHI.etc is a Ukrainian project created in cooperation with international artists. The creative team includes Ukrainian director and cinematographer Yarema Malashchuk, former artistic director of the London theater The Young, Vic Devin Len, and artistic director of the famous experimental theater club La MaMa in New York Mia Yu.

How does it work?

According to the organizers, the theater club will enable artists to get a location, equipment, informational and organizational support, and accompaniment by theater experts in the co-production format.

At this time, the theater is preparing for the premiere of the experimental performance.

The first performance will take place on November 18 at the House of Cinema in Kyiv and will be broadcast online on the platform of the famous New York avant-garde theater La MaMa — a partner of NASHi.etc. 

The Cabaret on the Border performance will unite five creative groups at once — theater and music ensemble Schmalgauzen, shadow theater Tinova, Andrii Barmalii x Yevheniia Vidishcheva project, Dima Levytskyi, and AMÆNTES, creating a unique cabaret performance on the theme of crossing borders.

Besides performances, NASHi.etc plans to organize free workshops for artists and other educational events, where they will not only implement creative experiments but also teach how to start their own projects and apply for grants.

Background

La MaMa is an experimental theater club in New York, founded in 1961. The theater positions itself as a place for artists of all identities, races, ages, and cultures, giving them space, support, and creative freedom to create new formats.

At one time, Robert de Niro, Al Pacino, Danny de Vito, and other notable actors, musicians, and playwrights collaborated with this theater.

Rubryka reported that the Pushkin Russian Drama Theater was renamed in Kharkiv.

The Rivne Theater has also become barrier-free and shows performances for the blind and visually impaired.