Since this article was written, Russian president Vladimir Putin has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the Belarusian regime of president Lukashenko has been instrumental in this unprovoked and unlawful attack. While it is heart-breaking to watch the needless loss of life and the outbreak of a war in the heart of Europe, the author of this text stands in solidarity with the heroic and brave Ukrainian people who are relentlessly fighting for democracy and freedom. Meanwhile, this article wants to shed light on the authoritarian rule of Lukashenko in his own country and the struggle of the defiant independent theatre professionals in Belarus. For this reason, the author also has to remain anonymous for their own safety and that of their family.
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„Hey! If anything happens, I left the children with grandmother”- a pretyped message on my phone, just in case I need to text my partner on the way to the theatre. For a theatre critic, life in Belarus should seem exciting: one only has to read about the innovative and subversive theatre performances under previous totalitarian conditions, under censorship, under repression. Now, however, it is happening right before our eyes – just take your time to be impressed and react, take notes. There is only one problem: It is very scary.
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Download the full article here (published in gift – zeitschrift für freie theaterarbeit, tanz und performance 01/2022)
Author: anonymous
© Picture: unknown