A darkish musical comedy about witches has Ukraine enthralled. This is why

KYIV, Ukraine — Witches are having a second in Ukraine. Each feared and revered, these beings are thought to own supernatural powers that can be utilized for good and unhealthy. Over the centuries, witches have been blamed for every kind of issues taking place to Ukrainians: droughts, floods, ailments — even falling in love and beginning wars.

Now they’ve taken middle stage in a darkish musical comedy titled The Witch of Konotop, with performances promoting out all summer time on the historic Ivan Franko Theater within the capital Kyiv.

Folklore dropped at life

Primarily based on the 1833 satirical fiction by Ukrainian author Hryhorii Kvitka-Osnovianenko, the story pokes enjoyable at Ukrainian literature’s tendency to concentrate on disappointment and tragedy. It takes place within the 1600s and follows the principle character, Zabryokha, a Cossack navy chief, in his unsuccessful journey to put off witches whom he blames for his misfortunes.

All through the fast-paced, witty hour-and-a-half manufacturing, the viewers is handled to superbly detailed Ukrainian people costumes and gorgeous vocals set to conventional Ukrainian music.

There’s rejection, there may be love.

And there may be, in fact, a witch hunt.

Moreover, in a twist that echoes as we speak, the principle characters obtain orders to affix a marketing campaign to fend off an overreaching czarist Russia.

One play, many takeaways

Life beneath a sinister Russian risk is likely to be the obvious theme from this play. But, a fast survey of the solid and viewers at a latest efficiency reveals the manufacturing’s true flexibility.

“Don’t kill women, don’t mess with women,” says actress Kateryna Artemenko, who performs one of many townswomen mistaken for a witch. She spoke to NPR backstage earlier than the present.

“No, it is not a joke, of course,” Artemenko says. “The main message is about people trying to fool their destiny, but destiny will find them.”

Actor Nazar Zadniprovskyi, who performs the ill-fated Cossack commander Zabryokha, views this play as a lesson in avoiding duty. The 2 lead characters keep away from going to navy drills so that they don’t should go to battle, he says, and many individuals see a parallel with Ukrainian males dodging conscription as we speak.

Zadniprovskyi additionally attributes the play’s reputation to the clips which have gone viral on social media. There, Ukrainians from all walks of life weigh in.

Viewers member Markian Halabala of Kyiv says seeing buzz concerning the play on-line is what first piqued his curiosity. He says it was tough to get tickets as a result of the play sells out so shortly. When he lastly noticed it, he felt the message was that you just shouldn’t intrude in God’s will — like Zabryokha does within the play when he asks a witch to solid a spell on a girl to make her fall in love with him, despite the fact that she loves another person. Halabala likens it to Russian President Vladimir Putin attempting to intrude in Ukraine’s path ahead as an unbiased nation.

Nonetheless, theatergoer Olha Vasylevshka of Kharkiv says she thinks the play is about love.

“Of course if the love is true, it doesn’t need any outside assistance,” she says, laughing. “But if the love is not true, nothing can help it, not even a witch.”

Bought-out reveals

Critics say audiences’ many interpretations of The Witch of Konotop are only one cause it’s been so standard.

Ivan Franko Theater press liaison Olena Kyrychenko-Povolocka instructed NPR the manufacturing has crammed their almost 800-seat home for each efficiency this summer time and he or she expects to proceed that success. The play has dates on its web site by way of mid-September.

Another excuse for the play’s reputation could also be its ties to not solely Ukrainian folklore, but additionally to Ukraine’s real-life city of Konotop recognized for witches.

Close to the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, a video surfaced on-line of a girl shouting at a Russian soldier sitting atop a tank.

“Do you even know where you are?” the lady shouts in a raspy voice. “You’re in Konotop — every second woman here is a witch.”

She goes on to warn the soldier he won’t ever get an erection once more.

The video went viral in Ukraine, not simply due to the lady’s defiance, but additionally as a result of the video was from Konotop and Ukrainians instantly bought the reference.

There’s been an general push to have a good time Ukrainian tradition and literature since Russia’s invasion. Putin has repeatedly mentioned victory means nothing wanting Ukraine not simply dropping its sovereignty — but additionally its id.

Ukrainians’ renewed curiosity in their very own tradition has pushed them again to theaters. Nearly all functioning theaters within the nation have returned to promoting tickets to full homes, in line with Olha Baibak with the Nationwide Union of Theater Staff of Ukraine.

“There is a growing interest in the theater throughout the country,” Baibak wrote in an electronic mail to NPR. “New audiences have come, people go for communication, for therapy, to live some kind of experience.”

She says in addition they come to get away from actuality.

Performing additionally provides actors an escape.

Actor Mykhailo Kukuyuk, who performs the character Pistryak, the principle character’s crafty assistant, says it’s generally tough to dam out the challenges and horrors of battle taking place outdoors the theater. However performing is an honor that reminds him what he believes Ukrainians are combating for.

“For theater, for good-looking, beautiful women. It’s the details, the sparks that make us alive — it’s hard to put into one sentence,” he says.

Polina Lytvynova contributed to this report from Kyiv.