Children ' s plays that are being hunted by adults

Thesis of theatrical criticism makes it possible to watch children’s performances without a target audience. But among the audience, I often see other adults without children who want to enjoy their inner child and look at the world with their eyes wide open.

It was during the Soviet days that the children’s mornings were a snooze reserve with bunnies and squirrels, where young artists waited years for the roles of Hamlet, if not Gorazio, and the second guard. But today, the theater for children can be bold, even bold, desperately funny, and really serious, it can raise complex topics, work with non-standard material, and introduce new names to the public.

Today, the theatre discovers a huge layer of modern children’s literature — translated and domestic — that speaks to a child in a language he understands and about the problems that he really cares about. He can see on the stage his peers, friends and classmates, teachers and parents, or, on the contrary, fall into fantastic worlds popular among teenagers. The theater shows the viewer that he is not alone in his feelings and experiences, allows him to look at the traumatic situation from the outside, to live in a safe space, and perhaps to find a solution to the problem in real life as well.

In addition, a modern theatre for children and adolescents is actively developing new non-standard formats. These could be «buddy» and comic shows, and a social theatre forum that would actively include spectators. And the young audience is happy to see any unusual experience that is different from the usual sitting in the room.

Not surprisingly, many children’s plays, especially on small scenes, have been the subject of sorcerers in just five minutes. You want to know what theatrical tickets are worth getting at the start of the sale and where you have to go with your whole family, not only to enjoy yourself together, but also to discuss things that you might not have touched without going to the theater? Read the recommendations below!

The creation of the creative group «Esquiza in Space» is perhaps the most scarce performance in the United Nations Theatre, as only 20 people can attend the show. It’s a freak show where viewers move around the short halls of the New Space, go to the different memory rooms of the main hero and learn from him a creative approach to reality. In this play, the usual, at first glance, kitchen garrison appears to be the keeper of family secrets, the curtain in the bathroom becomes the screen for the Shadow Theatre, and the refrigerator door opens a portal to another reality. Here, Grandma doesn’t scold her grandson for a broken vase, but helps to glue her up and turn her into a work of art. Any objects around us can play with new colors if we turn on fantasy and look at the world from a different angle. And that’s exactly what Esquises in Space are teaching us.

Alexander Chebotarev’s performance from Nasty Ryabtseva’s poem book is an excellent example of modern performances for teenagers. His main character, Grisha, is very similar to any of us in our youth, with no superpowers or exceptional features, with a normal family and a school. But, like many, he has to witness injustice, harassment, and choice — to stand aside and be safe or to stand up for the offended and the «hot» themselves. It’s actually almost Hamlet’s question to be or not to be — «is it worthy to be humbled under the blows of fate, or should you show resistance?» And it’s great that in this play he’s being asked by all the performers in turn, trying on Grisha’s role. It’s polyphonic, it’s driving, and it’s very sincere, because every hero puts a piece of himself in this collecting image.

Sasha Goldowitzky, the youngest of the famous theatre dynasty, specializes in children’s and teenagers' performances because he feels like a child in the shower. He also loves and often uses comic books in his work. «Sonia 9» is based on the same name rap comic book by the poet Alexey Olanikov and artist Timothy Jarjombek. It’s about a regular Sonia girl who’s trying to get through the ninth grade. Olaynikov’s obnoxious poems, which, by the way, works as a teacher and understands teenagers well, are put on the music of the brothers' band Fire Granny. So the performance turns into a concert, and every school lesson turns into a separate room, funny and inventive. I guarantee that after the performance, you’ll sing «It’s blues for those who haven’t given up the OGE» and «We’re reading the words of dead bearded men.»

Julia Belyaeva’s performance is based on the wonderful, gentle tales of the poet and writer Eugenia Kluev. His heroes are ordinary objects: an old mirror that is tired of reflecting everyone in a row, coats in a wardrobe, throwing their fur, a lantern, a torcher, a dish with a gold pot, as well as a nightingale without hearing, and an insufferably sad horse. All these many and very strange characters are played by five artists — but don’t take their eyes off. At the beginning of the play, you’ll start smiling blissfully in your mouth, and by the end you won’t be able to stop laughing and crying. Because all these fairy tales are about friendship, creativity, compassion, courage, beauty, and fill our usual home world with poetry.

It’s on the cover of MTUSA’s «Wals Piece of Pencil.» Photo from the theatre website