MESSAGES FROM MARIUPOL
Even before Russia started war against Ukraine, the ukrainian harbour city of Mariupol was a place where the latent threat to the country from Russia was part of everyday reality.
Located in Donbass region in the south-east of the country, Mariupol was separated only 20 km from the border to the occupied areas of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.
Because of its exposed location as the last purely ukrainian city before the demarcation line, Mariupol always had a special geostrategic importance not only for Ukraine itself, but also for the whole of Europe.
NOW IS WAR:

The Russian Federation invaded the territory of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 at 5 am.
Mariupol has been bombed since the first days of the war. About 90% of the city is destroyed there. This is a place of humanitarian catastrophe.

OUR MISSION
IS TO HELP YOUTH TO GET OUT FROM THE SIEGE OF MARIUPOL
YOUNG GUYS AND GIRLS. TALENTED ACTORS AND ACTRESSES, ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, WHO TOOK PART IN THEATRE PROJECTS.
how to support?
WHO ARE WE?
We are a team of European directors who participated in projects in Mariupol, created with local art teams and studied well the context of the city:
MADELEINE BONGARD [SWITZERLAND]
EVANGELOS COSMIDIS [GREECE]
JOSIE-DALE JONES
[GREAT BRITAIN]
ANTON TELBIZOV [UKRAINE]
CHRISTINE DISSMAN [GERMANY]
ANDRII PALATNYI
[UKRAINE]
OUR PROJECTS
In 2021, Mariupol received the status of the Capital of Culture of Ukraine. This title is associated with the task of implementing special, nationally important cultural projects, thus strengthening the city and connecting Mariupol to the world.
Among numerous cultural projects, all of which aimed at cultural networking, exchange and dialogue, 2021 the “Marathon of International Theater Residencies” (curator: Andrii Palatnyi) took place in Mariupol.
This “Theatre Laboratory” brought together international directors with local theatres and artist groups for joint creative experiments. The purpose and aim of the “Residency Marathon” was to share ideas and techniques, to create art in cooperation, to charge the place Mariupol with new creative energy and to intiate a new positive narrative for Mariupol, which should radiate far beyond Ukraine.
This page aims to present all projects and their contributors that have been created in Mariupol over the course of 2021.
ENTER tHE LAB
During the workshop in Mariupol director shared her skills with the participants. Together with them, she made a work about the presence of PRESENCE through the following techniques: awakening of the body, relaxation, rhythms and music, vocal practices, awareness raising, emotions, awareness of movements and more.
Without getting up from their seats, audience and the actors plunge into an immersive journey, realizing what the actor may feel while on stage.
Directed by Madeleine Bongard.
ALASKA
A performance about the pursuit of happiness.
A dive into the savage abusive relationships between teenagers family and school. A mapping of the issues that concern them: loneliness, kissing, love, war.
The devised performance Alaska, which has several elements of documentary theater, is a boom of research and interviews of the members of the group — the first theater school-studio of the city of Mariupol outlines their own here and now.
Directed by Evangelos Kosmidis.
R u there?
We’r here 2.0
Made over zoom with a director in the UK, and a team of 15-41 year olds in the Ukraine, «R u there? We r here…» is a celebration of theatre, and being able to say the things «in here» that we can’t say «out there». It is about the things we care about and want to speak about. It is a search for connection in a time of distance, and perhaps also a hope for a slightly different way of living (if we dare to imagine).
This show explores themes of war, loss and gender based violence through words, images (incl some real life new footage of war) and movement.
Directed by Josie Dale-Jones and Anton Telbizov.
InBetweenTimes
In the multidisciplinary art-project «InBetweenTimes» the german director Christine Dissmann together with young local actors of the Theater “Teatromania” and the first theater school-studio of Mariupol and artists from the Mariupol branch of the National Academy of Arts and Architecture explore the city of Mariupol from an entirely new perspective.
In a unique exchange of creative practice the participating artists evoke a new narrative of Mariupol, balancing between hard-boiled facts and imagination, reflecting between what is and what could be.
The show «InBetweenTimes» combined theatre, music and live-drawings to an experimental art-experience in a new dimension.
WHO ARE WE?
We are a team of European directors who participated in projects in Mariupol, created with local art teams and studied well the context of the city:
MADELEINE BONGARD [SWITZERLAND]
EVANGELOS COSMIDIS [GREECE]
JOSIE-DALE JONES
[GREAT BRITAIN]
ANTON TELBIZOV [UKRAINE]
CHRISTINE DISSMAN [GERMANY]
ANDRII PALATNYI
[UKRAINE]
WHAT ELSE?
WHAT'S NEXT?
VERBUNDEN BLEIBEN! STAY UNITED!
March 1
Deutsche Theater Berlin, ogalala kreuzberg
SOLIDARITÄT MIT DER UKRAINE
March 13
Düsseldorfer Schauspielhauses mit dem Ensemble und Gästen
Soutien à l'Ukraine: Focus sur les arts vivants et le cinéma documentaire
March 19
Centre socioculturel de l’Union syndicale vaudoise Lausanne
STAY UNITED Тримаємось разом #2 Ukrainische Stimmen für Mariupol
March 27
Deutsche Theater Berlin
Alaska readings on A big ETC conference
May 21
Prague, Czech Republic
Danse pour l'Ukraine:
Woman's Move & Dyki Dushi
June 1-2
Geneva, Switzerland
Grand Opening Event of
«Hotel Continental»: Art Space in Exile
June 17
Berlin, Germany