International Theater Festival Opens in St. Petersburg

The second annual international festival 'Theater Island' opens on Saturday in the Satire Theater on Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg. Theater groups from Switzerland, Sweden, Holland, France, Czech Republic, Novosibirsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg will take part. Chairwoman of the Festival Organizing Committee Natalia Dmitrieva told Rosbalt that 'the task of our festival is to show audiences a cut of modern theatrical art.' She also said that 'this non-competitive festival was created for acquaintances and conversation.'

Dmitrieva said that during the festival viewers can see around 20 different theater performances, which will occur on four different stages. The Moscow theater DOK will stage the family production Oxygen. The Prague Chamber Theater will perform It's Time to Change This and the Amsterdam Chamber Theater will stage The Person Who Wanted. Moreover, the Moscow theater Near The House of Stanislavsky will perform Between Shows, and women will perform the main roles in the Novosibirsk theater Old Home production of Don Juan.

'We will have theatrical performances for the most different classes of society, and viewers of different ages,' said Dmitrieva. She also said that '(performances will be) for those who want to rest and those who want to think about eternity. The main thing is that in the festival performances there is no extremism, aggression or violence.'

The festival ends May 2. It is organized by the Satire Theater on Vasilyevsky Island with support from the Ministry of Culture, Union of Theater Figures and the Vasilyevsky Island district administration.