Iconic 'The Witch of Konotop' Embarks on European Tour: Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Geneva in January

In January, theatregoers will be able to see the iconic Ukrainian play The Witch of Konotop in four European cities. 

This was announced by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.

The Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre of Ukraine will perform in Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Geneva on 6, 8, 11 and 13 January. 

This theatrical performance has caused a resonance in Ukraine and the world. It was staged in Kyiv in 2023, during the war, directed by Ivan Uryvsky and based on the classic Ukrainian literature novel of the same name by Hryhoriy Kvitka-Osnovyanenko. 

‘The Witch of Konotop combines elements of Ukrainian folklore and mysticism with contemporary social and political issues. The play questions traditional stereotypes about witches, focusing on themes of female power and independence. It also addresses fears and prejudices, the historical persecution and oppression of women, particularly in the context of public and social norms.

An important aspect of the play is its visual and audio components: music and sounds create a mystical effect, while light projections and shadows enhance the atmosphere of mystery.

The director of the play has chosen an innovative approach, combining authentic Ukrainian traditions with modern theatrical methods and styles. The production uses minimalist scenography, where each element of the set has a special symbolic meaning, and the stage space is completely filled with acting, lighting and sound effects - which completely engage the audience.

‘For me, the main theme was the choice between two forces - Light and Darkness. This is in a global sense, but this choice can be much more extensive and diverse. The novel contains a love story and a sense of inevitable war, as one of the leitmotifs of the work is that the centurion constantly receives letters of orders to march with his hundred to defend the state. And there are many more subthemes that are in line with our problems: the theme of power that accidentally falls to the wrong person, and he, through laziness and misunderstanding, appoints an even more inappropriate person as his governor, who, under any circumstances, seeks to take advantage of this situation in his own interests,’ said the director Ivan Uryvsky.  

Among the performers of the main roles: Kristina Korchinskaya, Andrey Saminin, Alexander Yarema, Vyacheslav Khostikrev, Maria Rudinskaya, Malvina Khachatryan, Marina Dadaleva, and Ekaterina Artemenko.

As previously reported by The Gaze, a scene from the iconic play The Witch of Konotop was shown at the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.