VASYL STUS IN THE THEATER: FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ISSUE (1980s — 1990s)

Abstract

The theatrical interpretation of the life and work of Vasyl Stus began in the late 1980s. Dozens of productions across various genres appeared during the period of accumulating and systematizing biographical and artistic material, as well as reinterpreting the figure of Stus. Interest in his personality is evidenced by the performances of both experienced directors and beginners. One of the key tasks of Stus studies is to trace the history of the theatrical experiences that bring Vasyl Stus’s creative life into focus. To model the perception and artistic interpretation of Stus’s personality, it is important to identify various forms of professional performances centered on Vasyl Stus’s life or based on his works, while considering the chronological order of their appearance. These forms include poetic compositions, dramatic compositions, plays, etc. The paper starts a project focusing on the outlined issues and highlights the theatrical productions from the late 1980s and the 1990s. Decades of theatrical exploration of Vasyl Stus’s creative personality represent not only a time of popularizing his works and integrating the poet’s name into the cultural sphere but also a period of directors’ and actors’ search for the potential — both poetic and existential — within Stus’s texts. The strength and significance of the poet’s legacy were proved by the following performances: the poetic composition “Vasyl Stus” (1988) by Volodymyr Kuchynskyi, the dramatic composition “The Bird of Soul” (1989) by Vitalii Sementsov, the musical and dramatic composition “Return” (1989) by Myroslav Hrynyshyn, the monologue “Go through a Hundred Scaffolds, a Man, Having Sight in a Heart” (1992) by Marharyta and Kyrylo Bulkins, the monologue “Damned Years” (1992—1993) by Volodymyr Smotrytel, the play on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of V. Stus’s birth (1998) by Dmytro Stus and Serhii Proskurnia.