Alongside her prolific work in both non-fiction and fiction, Jelena Skulskaja (b. 1950) consistently channels her creative energy into fostering the creative development and self-expression of younger generations. At the HeadRead literary festival, it has become a welcome annual tradition to kick things off with stage productions by the Poetry Friendship Theatre Studio, led by Skulskaja.
This year’s programme, entitled The Poem of the End. A Poet in the World of People, is based on the life and work of the much-loved Russian poet and translator Marina Tsvetaeva (1892–1941), whose tragic судьба is also reflected in the title of the performance. It sets in opposition Tsvetaeva’s uncompromising spirit, focused solely on great themes – above all love and death – and the frivolous, wasteful nature of the world around her.
The production, directed by Skulskaja, features Anastasija Evnovich in the role of Marina Tsvetaeva, alongside Sergey Bolshakov, Alyona Busel, Boris Dzhiakonov, Anna Fokina, Dennis Kalnitski, Adelia Kamal, Kirill Kopti, Karina Oskilko, Bogdan Puzikov, Daniel Radetski and Alina Trotskaya. The choreographer is Julia Kornõšenkova and the composer Dmitri Sokolov.