What remains when a poet is silenced? Cursed Years is a powerful journey through Ukraine’s tragic past and the voices that refused to die.
THE CURSED YEARS
Play by Volodymyr Smotrytel. Tragedy. Based on the works of repressed poets Oleg Olzhych, Yevhen Pluzhnyk, Yuriy Klen, Vasyl Stus, Taras Melnychu, Taras Shevchenko.
Directed by Volodymyr Smotrytel.
Duration of the performance: 50 minutes.
Premiered in 1993.
Throughout 50 minutes, spectators have the opportunity to witness the turning pages of history from the 1920s to the 1990s in the 20th century. The main character of the performance is a contemporary individual who, immersed in the atmosphere of different times through poetic works, embodies the genius of those poets. These poets, through their words, fought for the right to live in a free, independent, and lawful Ukraine, for which they were subjected to “stone shirts.”
It was this very performance that marked the opening of the first theatrical season of the Khmelnytskyi Municipal Mono-Theatre “KUT” on August 24, 1993. In 2014, at the XVI International Monodrama Festival “Vidlunnya,” this show received the highest accolade – the Grand Prix.
THEATRICAL EVENINGS OF DRAMATIC MONO-ART is a project designed to introduce audiences to a distinctive form of theatre in which all the stage action centres on a single performer.
One-person theatre demands not only exceptional acting skills but also the ability to create an entire theatrical world independently, hold the audience’s attention, and guide spectators through a story using character, words, music and emotion. This makes monodrama one of the most concentrated and demanding forms of theatrical expression.
Volodymyr Smotrytel has devoted more than 30 years of his artistic career to one-person theatre. During this time, KUT’s repertoire has grown to include 16 solo performances spanning a variety of genres, from historical drama to poetic and musical productions.
As part of the MONODRAMA IN ACTION project, three solo performances exploring different genres and themes will be presented in London:
16 October — MAZEPA
Historical monodrama
28 November — THE CURSED YEARS
Suppressed poetry
18 December — WORDSONG
A song-and-poetry mantra
Good to know
Highlights
- 1 hour
- In person
Refund Policy
Location
Ukrainian Cultural Centre
154-156
Holland Park Avenue London W11 4UH
How do you want to get there?
