Theatre Premieres of Autumn: What to See at Kyiv’s Theatres

“OPUS № 13” — Theatre on Podil

What should you do with love when war, revolution, and a system that demands you choose sides are all around you? In Stanislav Ivanov’s new production, inspired by Mykola Kulish’s “Pathetic Sonata,” the characters find themselves in a fictional sanatorium where they have been placed for daring to love. They all share the same diagnosis — love — but ahead of them lie trials that force them to decide what matters most to them.

“OPUS № 13” is a tragicomedy in which personal feelings collide with social upheaval. The production is directed by Stanislav Ivanov, who was also responsible for the musical design. The set design and costumes were created by Anastasiia Savchenko.

The theatre warns that gunshots are heard during the performance.

• When: October 22, 18:00; November 1, 16:00; November 19–20, 18:00
• Where: Theatre on Podil (20-B Andriivskyi Descent)
• How much: UAH 400–950

“Three Comrades” — Theatre on Pechersk

Three friends try to find their place in the world after the war. Robert, Otto, and Gottfried work together, support one another, and try to move on despite their losses and uncertainty. When Robert meets Patricia, love enters his life, but it also brings new challenges.

Theatre on Pechersk has presented its own version of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel “Three Comrades” in the form of an improvisational performance. Director Olena Lazovich has abandoned bulky sets in favour of acting. The performers do not limit themselves to portraying the characters; through an improvisational approach, they create a story about friendship, memory, pain, and love.

• When: November 1, 14, and 15, 17:00
• Where: Theatre on Pechersk (5 Mala Shyianovska Street)
• How much: UAH 500

“This Moment Is Your Life” — Lesya Ukrainka Theatre

To mark its centenary, the Lesya Ukrainka Theatre has prepared a performance about its own history. “This Moment Is Your Life” is a theatrical revue combining music, humour, actors’ memories, and stories about the people who have worked on this stage over the years.

All the theatre’s actors will take part in the performance. Different generations of performers will meet on stage to recall the past, talk about the present, and take an ironic look at theatrical life. The production will also honour the memory of artists who have left a significant mark on the theatre’s history.

• When: October 22 and 23, 18:00
• Where: Lesya Ukrainka Theatre (5 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street)
• How much: UAH 150–700

“The Little Prince” — PLASTILIN STUDIO, Suziria Theatre

A little traveller leaves his planet and sets off to explore other worlds. Along the way, he meets eccentric adults, learns to understand friendship and love, and gradually discovers what truly matters in life. The PLASTILIN STUDIO company will bring Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s familiar story to the stage of Suziria Theatre.

Director and producer Valeriia Huliaieva approaches “The Little Prince” as a story about responsibility, loyalty, dignity, and the ability to remain true to oneself. The performance is intended for family audiences and recommended for children aged ten and above.

• When: October 31 and November 29, 17:00
• Where: Suziria Theatre (14-B Yaroslaviv Val Street)
• How much: UAH 350.

“MOMO” — Theatre on Podil

Imagine a world in which people are so busy saving time that they gradually forget what they need that time for in the first place. This is the world in which the main character of Michael Ende’s fairy-tale novel “Momo” lives. The girl, who knows how to truly listen to others, stands up to the mysterious Grey Gentlemen — thieves who steal people’s time.

Theatre on Podil will present a stage adaptation of this story directed by Andreas von Schlippe. The theatre describes the genre of the performance as a bold adventure story and invites audiences to set off in search of happiness in a world where money is becoming increasingly important.

Andreas von Schlippe served as director and set designer. The costumes were created by Anna Dukhovychna, and the musical design was prepared by Bartłomiej Kubiak and Ivan Zavhorodnii. 

• When: November 7 and 8, 16:00; November 18, 18:00
• Where: Theatre on Podil (20-B Andriivskyi Descent)
• How much: UAH 350–750

“The One Who Opens the Door” — Dzerkalo Theatre

Two women find themselves trapped in an enclosed space under mysterious circumstances. Everyday reality gradually turns into an absurd situation in which it is difficult to distinguish real danger from imagined threats. The heroines try to figure out what has happened to them and whether they can determine their own fate.

“The One Who Opens the Door” is a black comedy based on a play by Ukrainian playwright Neda Nezhdana. The Dzerkalo Theatre of Ukrainian Tradition is preparing a production in the comedy thriller genre, combining absurd situations, black humour, and reflections on fear, loneliness, and freedom of choice.

• When: November 12, 18:00
• Where: Ivan Kozlovskyi Cultural Centre (50-B Khreshchatyk Street)
• How much: from UAH 350

“The Ladder” — Theatre on Pechersk

Tolik finally fulfils his dream — he buys a house in Spain, where he plans to live alone, far away from his relatives and their problems. But Russia’s full-scale invasion begins, and his mother, sister, a distant relative, and other family members arrive. Instead of the peace and quiet he had dreamed of, the man finds himself sharing a roof with a noisy family, dealing with domestic conflicts, and having to reconsider his plans.

The production is based on “The Ladder,” a novel by Yevheniia Kuznietsova that was named BBC Book of the Year 2023. The writer took part in creating the stage adaptation alongside the Theatre on Pechersk team. The director is Olha Larina, the set designer is Ivan Mykhailov, and the composer is Artem Zamkov.

The performance explores family relationships, memory, a shared past, and attempts to find understanding with those closest to us. The theatre describes its genre as “a fairy tale about a mitten.”

• When: November 24 and 25, 18:30
• Where: Theatre on Pechersk (5 Mala Shyianovska Street)
• How much: UAH 500

“Alice in Wonderland” — Kyiv Academic Puppet Theatre

Alice finds herself in a world where familiar rules no longer apply, logic fails, and every new encounter makes her question what seems obvious. In his version of Lewis Carroll’s famous story, director Hryhor Mane focuses primarily on teenagers who are trying to understand themselves and find their place in the adult world.

The production is described as “logical absurdity in two acts.” The director wrote his own adaptation of the work and built the performance around a combination of live acting and different types of puppets. There are no traditional puppet screens here: the actors perform in full view, and the dialogue sometimes resembles verbal battles filled with paradoxes and puns.

• When: October 22, 12:00; October 30–31, 12:00; October 31, 16:00
• Where: Kyiv Academic Puppet Theatre (1-A Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street)
• How much: UAH 200–350

“Faust” — Koleso Theatre

What is a person willing to give up in exchange for knowledge, youth, and the ability to obtain what they desire? Petro Myronov, an actor at Kyiv’s Koleso Theatre, has turned to the story of Heinrich Faust, a scholar who makes a pact with the devil. He based his work on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragedy of the same name but presented it in his own free retelling.

“Faust” is a one-man show that the theatre describes as a philosophical and ironic drama. Petro Myronov presents a story about human desires, temptations, and the search for the meaning of life entirely on his own. This is not the actor’s first original work: his previous solo performances at the theatre have explored the life of artist Mikhail Vrubel, chanson singer Charles Aznavour, and the adventures of the characters created by Jerome K. Jerome.

• When: November 11 and 15, 18:00
• Where: Koleso Theatre (8 Andriivskyi Descent)
• How much: please check with the theatre

“Welcome Home, Rabbit!” — Suziria Theatre

Somewhere beyond a quiet forest lives a family of rabbits awaiting unexpected adventures. The characters’ familiar world is full of mysteries, and every new path may lead to the unknown. Yet even when circumstances become difficult, the rabbits try to stick together and help one another.

“Welcome Home, Rabbit!” is a new children’s performance for family audiences, based on a work by Kateryna Palanchuk. Director Anna Denysiuk explores themes of family love, friendship, courage, and mutual support through a fairy-tale story about the adventures of animals.

• When: November 15, 13:00
• Where: Suziria Theatre (14-B Yaroslaviv Val Street)
• How much: UAH 350

Ирина Маймур

Редактор новостей и Телеграм-канала

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