Scene from Persona. Marilyn. Source: Teatr Dramatyczny
Krystian Lupa's performances Persona: Simone's Body and Persona: Marilyn are on the programme as part of the Legendary Productions and Artist series in the 18th edition of Russia's most recognised theatre festival
The Legendary Productions and Artists project was initiated in 2005. The series aims to present outstanding theatre productions that represent the history and heritage of world theatre. The Golden Mask presents the Russian audience legendary theatre troupes and great artists, whose work is a priceless treasure and preserves the highest artistic level and relevance. Krystian Lupa whose shows are featured as part of the series in 2012, was presented with the honourary Best Foreign Performance award of the Golden Mask festival in 2010. This year, the festival has already announced its decision to present this award to another outstanding Polish director. Krzysztof Warlikowski’s (A)pollonia which was presented at the Golden Mask festival in 2011 takes the Best Foreign Performance at the official Golden Mask Award ceremony. (A)pollonia is based on multiple classical and contemporary texts, including Euripides' Alcestis, the Oresteia by Aeschylus, and Hanna Krall's Apolonia, along with minor references to Jonathan Littell's Les Bienveillantes, J.M Coetzee's Elizabeth Costello and Rabidranath Tagore's drama The Post Office. This almost-controversial work examines the history of war and civilization over thousands of years. The discussion of war is not simply about killing, but about righteousness, conflict and sacrifice, specifically self sacrifice.
Some of the directors distingushed with the prize in the past include Giorgio Strehler, Josef Nadj, Eimuntas Necrosius, Pina Bausch, Michael Thalheimer, Alvis Hermanis, Tamas Ascher, and Robert Lepage.
Persona. Marilyn and Persona: Simone which are presented on the 30th and 31st of March are three parts of a triptych devoted to intriguing female personalities across borders and generations. Lupa's focus is on three iconic figures from the Twentieth Century: Marilyn Monroe, Simone Weil and George Gurdjieff. Krystian Lupa does not present their biographies but, instead, creates something of a fantasy on stage inspired by their lives and works. This allows one to get a closer look at the heroes as they collide with the personalities of the actors - themselves quite iconic figures of the stage in their own right. The two performances are shown as part of the Golden Mask Festival on the 30th and 31st of March respectively.
The Golden Mask National Award and Festival of Russian performing arts were established in 1994. The Festival annually presents the best drama, opera, ballet and puppetry productions of the previous season selected by a board of experts comprised of theatre critics, journalists and theatre managers. In accordance with the decisions of a jury consisting of theatre professionals, the prestigious Golden Mask award is conferred upon the best productions, directors, actors and stage designers nominated in some two dozen categories. This year, the official Golden Mask award ceremony takes place on the 16th of April, 2012 on the historical stage of Bolshoi Theatre.