Ukrainian Theater in Crimea in the 2nd Half of the 19th — Early 20th Century

Abstract

The study is devoted to the analysis of the state of Ukrainian theatrical art on the territory of the Crimean peninsula in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century. Even in our time, we have to refute the assertion that anything Ukrainian in Crimea was absent until the middle of the 20th century or even before the early 1990s. From reports in magazines of the 19th – early 20th centuries, which were published in the territory of modern Ukraine, controlled at that time by the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, as well as from archival sources, we can obtain data that indicate that in that period the inhabitants of different regions of Crimea, mostly large cities, showed interest in Ukrainian culture, one of the brightest exponents of which was theatrical art. Both touring and local Ukrainian theater groups led by prominent directors performed theatrical productions of famous playwrights in Crimea. It is traditionally believed that the Ukrainian theater gained popularity in Crimea in the 1870s–90s due to the activities of the luminaries of the stage – Marko Kropyvnytsky, Mykhailo Starytsky, the Tobilevych brothers, etc. However, we can say that the roots of the Ukrainian theater on the peninsula date back to the 1840s – to the appearance in Sevastopol of the first stationary municipal Crimean theater, which periodically staged works by Ukrainian authors. The notable place of presentation of the Ukrainian theatrical art in Crimea was the nobiliary theater of Simferopol. Also, Ukrainian theater troupes toured Sevastopol, Yalta, Yevpatoriia, Feodosiia, Kerch. Over time, local amateur and semi-professional groups began to emerge in these cities, introducing the audience to examples of Ukrainian drama and gaining the support of prominent theatrical figures. The Crimean press often published not only reviews of Ukrainian theatrical productions in the cities of the peninsula, but also reviews of plays presented on local stages not only by the most talented but also by lesser-known artists that performed in front of the inhabitants of Crimea and staged at completely different ideological and artistic levels. For the most part, Ukrainian performances were highly popular in Crimea.