Puppet tetra is a fairy tale in reality. Thanks to the artists, motionless creatures come to life and give the audience magic in real life. One of these islands of fantasy is the Harlequin Puppet Theater in Omsk.
About Puppet Theater
The theater was founded in April 1936. At that time, the acting troupe was not numerous - six people. This doll house developed very actively and productively. This is evidenced by the fact that two months later the theater opened its doors to the first young spectators and their parents with a production of "Kashtanka". This performance was doomed to success because the main characters in the dolls came from the Moscow Obraztsov Theater. A year after the start of activity, “Harlequin” goes on the first tour, where the audience was expected new productions: “Gosling”, “Kolobok”, “Turnip”.
During the Great Patriotic War, almost the entire troupe went to the front. But the life of the “Harlequin” theater in Omsk did not stop there. New actors were recruited from the evacuees, who gave a creative impetus to further development. Thanks to new faces, the theater’s repertoire ceases to consist solely of small plays, serious works are added.
After the war, the Omsk Puppet Theater was considered one of the strongest, according to critics. The performances stood out for their deep meaning and professional acting.
After the military events, several more turns of development and popularity stand out in the history of the theater. The first comes in the sixties and seventies, the second - with the advent of a new director B. Salamchev. The latest event gave bright creative growth. Omsk Puppet Theater has a reputation as an experimenter. At the same time, the idea of ​​reviving the dolls house and turning it into a storyteller appears. This concept is the key so far.
The Harlequin Theater is located in Omsk at 41 Karl Marx Avenue.
Participation in festivals
As mentioned above, almost from the very foundation of the theater, “Harlequin” began to tour and take part in various competitions.
The first appearance on the international scene was participation in the XX festival of puppet theaters in the Czech Republic, where Omsk residents showed mastery of Russian theater art in this area. They demonstrated their skills at numerous competitions in Finland, Italy, Serbia, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and even in China. After almost every competitive trip, representatives of the Harlequin Theater from Omsk bring various awards and thanks. But it is worth noting that the smiles of children and adults are the most valuable thanks for creativity.
In addition to participating in various competitions, the Omsk Puppet Theater is the organizer of the International Festival of Puppet Theaters “Visiting Harlequin”. This site was founded in 2009 and is usually held twice a year. During the event, more than 60 theaters from 28 countries took part in it.
The main idea that the organizers are promoting is a theater without borders. This phrase means that during the days of the festival the stage plays are performed for both young spectators and teenagers. The performances within the framework of “Visiting Harlequin” are focused on children from 2 to 16 years old. This event has a competitive basis.
Poster of the Harlequin Puppet Theater in Omsk
Since this doll house has three scenes that work daily, the schedule of performances is quite extensive. In addition to the fact that every day the actors play from 3 performances, during the month there is a place for touring. In the playbill for April 2018, the premiere of the production of "Geese-Swans" is planned for viewers from 2 to 4 years. Also, the following productions have been prepared for this age group: "Ukhti-Tukhti", "Straw Bull", "Confusion", "About Little Raccoon".
For children 3-4 years old, they prepared performances: "Turnip", "Buka", "The Tale of the Stupid Little Mouse", "Mashenka and the Bear". From the age of 4, “Harlequin” recommends viewing the performances - “Mustachioe Striped”, “Northern Tale”, “Silver Hoof”, “Hare, Fox and Rooster”.
The following performances were prepared for young spectators for 5 years: "Puss in Boots", "Thumbelina". For school-age children, Harlequin will demonstrate: The Magic Ring, The Little Prince, Bremen Town Musicians, Cinderella, Frozen.
Adolescents are recommended to view "Raven", "Dwarf Nose", "Scarlet Sails" -forever ". As part of the tour will be shown "Princess Frog", "Hanuma", "Havroshechka."
The cost of tickets for all the performances presented varies from 140 to 450 rubles.
Public reviews
The impressions of the audience after visiting the Harlequin Theater in Omsk remain extremely positive. Mainly stands out the large theater building, where you can take a walk with the child during the intermission or before staging. As for the productions themselves, the audience singles out a professional play of the actors, which helps to fully plunge into the action, as well as attract vibrant scenery and neat dolls.