A play about Ukrainian culture and history
Theater group Motankas Berlin
55min o. P., in German and Ukrainian
Director: Xenia Wolfgram
"The Guardian" is a play about Ukrainian history and culture.
For this purpose, the country becomes a woman who shares her biography with us. We hear about her struggles to become independent, understand where she comes from, witness her culture and traditions. A play is not enough to understand the complexity of a person, let alone a country. This piece is like a best of, picking out about 5 important historical events, starting with the Kievan Rus' period until today. We experience "The Guardian" as she has to make difficult decisions, experiences abuse and always tries to maintain her dignity. In the course of the play we understand how loving and caring this woman is, experience her closeness to nature, her understanding of family and solidarity, experience what brings her joy. At the same time, like any mother, she can also be rough and tough. We experience their pride, their softness and strength. She is a very complex and versatile woman, a border crosser. It is important to find out whether it was voluntary or driven by, for example, unwanted lovers.
This complex history and culture is represented through physical acting, dance, music, song and "the voice". One actress is the personalization of Ukraine, another actress is her voice. It is an inner monologue of an immortal woman reliving with us (visually and musically supported) her life up to the moment we are now. Two other actors on stage will take on different roles. They portray, among other things, the many visitors that Ukraine has had, as well as the people of Ukraine itself. There will also be influences from abstract theater and then they will be something completely different (a physical representation of the Dnieper, for example). The musicians perform live, a pianist, a singer with a loop bar and another singer lead the audience through the years with music and singing.
There will be both traditional music and modern songs. For the German audience there should be translations of the lyrics.
The ensemble is an international ensemble consisting of artists from Ukraine, Belarus and Germany, who have now joined together as "Motankas" for this project.
