Scholarly record

THE VAKHTANGOV THEATRE: THE STRATEGY OF SUCCESS

D. Khaustova

Abstract

The Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia is one of the most known repertory drama theatres not only in Moscow and Russia but also in many countries of Europe, Asia and America. The creative life of the Vakhtangov theatre is rooted in the historical Russian culture, and at the same time it sets its gaze on the future. Just like Konstantin Stanislavsky, the world-known establisher of the Method, Evgeny Vakhtangov believed that the actor is the crucial element of any theatre performance. He also trusted that the essence of theatre should be ‘theatrical’ and created an onstage world of fantastic, magical, and fairy-tale events preserving at the same time Stanislavsky’s psychological acting inventions. Vakhtangov started staging plays employing his ‘signature’ techniques, being the perfect synthesis of the opposing schools of Stanislavsky’s realism and Meyerhold’s theatricality. The Vakhtangov Theatre knew flourishing seasons and difficult times, and over 10 years ago it stepped into the new period of its development. In 2007 Rimas Tuminas was appointed Artistic Director of the Vakhtangov Theatre. He has been staging his ‘signature’ productions in a manner of a total-theatre mix of words, music, mime and symbolism. If it’s not the carnival Evgeny Vakhtangov, it undeniably is festivity anticipation and aspiration. Rimas Tuminas was born and trained as an actor in Lithuania. He continued his education as a director in Moscow and staged his first show back in 1987 in his home country. Rimas Tuminas directed performances in many theatres in Europe and Russia, always attracting attention and being appreciated by both general public and refined theatre critics. The Artistic Director shows great discernment in his choice of actors, cherishing the older generation and bringing up younger and promising performers. To make mercurial and unpredictable onstage world of Rimas Tuminas sustainable, a well-established management system has been developed by Kirill Krok, perhaps the most skilled theatre manager in Russia. The General Manager regards his mission in forming organisational environments increasingly favourable to the creation of theatre art and its presentation to appreciative audiences. His team has the necessary knowledge, skills, experience, and responsibility. Team members are grounded in theatre history and aesthetics, decision making and governance, organisational direction and planning, human resources, financial management, development, marketing, and technology. Kirill Krok continues training his staff in the practice, while obtaining up-to-date theoretical knowledge remains the responsibility of each team member. Thus, managing and producing stand not versus directing and presenting at the Vakhtangov Theatre. They empower each other making this Theatre special, successful, sustainable and continually developing performing art organisation. Its motto can be best described by Ben Okri’s poetry: “Infect the world with your light. Help fulfil the golden prophecies. Press forward the human genius. Our future is greater than our past”.

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