Standing Ovation for Ukraine’s “The Tempest” at Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival
On July 25, the Ukrainian production of The Tempest by William Shakespeare opened the prestigious 29th Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival in Poland with two sold-out performances, The Gaze reports, citing the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.
The play was staged by the Maria Zankovetska National Drama Theater and directed by Oksana Dmytriieva, with set design by Mykhailo Nikolaiev.
Over a thousand theatergoers witnessed this modern Ukrainian interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic, praised for its contemporary vision and psychological depth. The title role of Prospero was performed by Oleg Stefan, a Merited Artist of Ukraine.
The cast also included prominent Ukrainian actors such as Volodymyr Pantelieiev, Oksana Haliv, Ostap Vakuliuk, and Stepan Hlova, among others.
The Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival is one of Europe’s most respected forums dedicated to the Bard’s work. This year’s edition gathers theaters from Ukraine, Poland, Spain, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and Japan. Ukrainian participation reflects the growing interest in the country’s theatrical scene and its integration into the European cultural space.
Previously, The Tempest was also presented at Shakespeare festivals in Ivano-Frankivsk and Chișinău.
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