The Magic of Theatre (MoT) project engages children and young people from Bishkek and the village of Dzhany-Dzher in the world of theatre, with the aim of empowering children and helping them to overcome their inner fears and insecurities. The project became a platform for the children to freely express their thoughts, engage with adults and hone their public speaking skills. Their participation ignited a newfound passion for self-expression, creativity, literature and public speaking. They also acquired a range of valuable skills – from the art of performance and poetry reading to acting and physical expression. Collaborative teamwork, empathy, open-mindedness and the art of making friends were also key takeaways, according to post-project interviews with over 100 young participants and their parents.
Between February and May 2023, The Magic of Theatre project staged four plays, featuring Urmanbetov’s ‘Tak Teke’, J-B Molière’s ‘Les Précieuses Ridicules’, ‘L’Impromptu de Versailles’ and Stolyarov’s adaptation of ‘A Little Match Girl’, based on H.C. Andersen’s timeless tale.
“Dzhany Dzher Tak Teke”
On 16 June 2023, the premiere of the play “Tak Teke” took place within the framework of the activities of the project “The Magic of Theatre” with the performers from the students of the vocational school 43 and the local audience from the village of Dzhany Dzher.
The performance was held to develop the children’s characters and imagination. In their opening speeches, the officials spoke about the importance of art in the life of the young generation. In addition, Ilgiz Zhunusov, coordinator and drama teacher of the Magic of Theatre project, spoke about the aims and objectives of MAP and the Magic of Theatre project.
Performance of Kyialbek Urmanbetov’s play “Tak Teke”, based on the ancient Kyrgyz legend of the hunter Kozhozhash. The main theme of the performance is the confrontation between human ambitions and nature.
Kozhozhash, who saw himself as the breadwinner of the tribe, decided to assert himself in the eyes of his relatives. He vowed to catch the sacred Sur-Echki (Grey Goat – the totem image of his tribe) and prove that the hunter is stronger and more powerful than Sur-Echki. In the heat of the hunt, he kills all of Sur-Echki’s descendants. Sur-Echki begs him to leave the wounded Alabash so that they can have offspring later, but Kozhozhash kills Alabash. Thus, Sur Echki loses her last hope of procreation. She decides to take revenge on him. Karagul, Kozhozhash’s son, dressed in the fur of a baby goat, searches for his father in the mountains. Sur Echki throws dense mist on the rocks. In the fog, Kozhozhash sees the silhouette of a goat kid. He shoots. A familiar cry echoes through the fog. As he approaches the victim, Kozhozhash sees his bloodied son, Karagul. And so the ancient legend of the hunter Kozhozhash comes to a tragic end.
“Les Précieuses Ridicules”
On 17 June 2023, at Theatre 705 in Kyrgyzstan, a play by Jean-Baptiste Molière, “Les Précieuses Ridicules ” was performed by the participants of the Magic of Theatre (Mot), as a result of the MoT’s work with children through theatre.
From the extensive body of comedies by Jean-Baptiste Molière, MoT chose one-act comedies: “Les Précieuses Ridicules”, that tells about provincial girls who want to join the high society of Paris.
The show was opened with an introductory speech about the MAP project and the magic of theatre by Nurlan Asanbekov. After the performance there was a dialogue session where opinions, impressions of parents and friends were exchanged.
“L’Impromptu de Versailles”
On 18 June 2023, at Theatre 705 in Kyrgyzstan, a play by Jean-Baptiste Molière, “L’Impromptu de Versailles” was performed by the participants of the Magic of Theatre (Mot), as a result of the MoT’s work with children through theatre.
From the extensive body of comedies by Jean-Baptiste Molière, MoT chose one-act comedies: “L’Impromptu de Versailles”. The plot of the comedy “L’Impromptu de Versailles” reflects the life of the actors behind the scenes before they perform for the King. The show was opened with an introductory speech about the MAP project and the magic of theatre by Nurlan Asanbekov. After the performance there was a dialogue session where opinions, impressions of parents and friends were exchanged.
“A Little Match Girl”
On 18 June 2023, the participants of the Magic of Theatre (MoT) performed Hans Christian Andersen’s story “A Little Match Girl” at the Theatre 705 in Kyrgyzstan. This short story tells the story of a young girl living in poverty who sells matches to raise money for her family. In addition to the girl, there are the figures of human vices: pride, greed, envy, anger, despair and lies. All the vices are also present in our daily lives.
As a result of people’s lack of compassion and insensitivity, the girl freezes at Christmas. This fairy tale teaches children and adults to be kinder and more caring towards people who are suffering.
The Magic of Theatre
Using stagecraft to explore everyday social problems: the infringement of children’s and women’s rights, domestic abuse, gender and national inequality.