One-person theatre demands not only exceptional acting skills but also the ability to create an entire theatrical world independently, hold the audience’s attention, and guide spectators through a story using character, words, music and emotion. This makes monodrama one of the most concentrated and demanding forms of theatrical expression.

Volodymyr Smotrytel has devoted more than 30 years of his artistic career to one-person theatre. During this time, KUT’s repertoire has grown to include 16 solo performances spanning a variety of genres, from historical drama to poetic and musical productions.

As part of the MONODRAMA IN ACTION project, three solo performances exploring different genres and themes will be presented in London:

16 October — MAZEPA
Historical monodrama

28 November — THE CURSED YEARS
Suppressed poetry

18 December — WORDSONG
A song-and-poetry mantra

MAZEPA

A play by Bohdan and Yaroslav Melnychuk. A lifetime compressed into a single day. Drama.

Directed by Yaroslav Melnychuk.

Running time: 55 minutes.

Premiere: 2009.

1708–1709. The Great Northern War between Muscovy and Sweden. By this time, Ukrainian lands had long been under the domination of the Tsardom of Muscovy. Seeking to liberate Ukraine from this rule, Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Mazepa sided with the Swedes. The Swedes lost the war, forcing Mazepa into exile in Moldavia, to the village of Bender.

The main action takes place in a church, where an ageing Mazepa comes to confess before his mother. Across the play’s nine scenes, he reveals the key moments leading to his defeat, drawing particular attention to the betrayals within his military circle that ultimately contributed to the loss of the war. As a consequence, Ukrainian settlements were destroyed and plundered, while ordinary people, alongside Mazepa’s soldiers, were subjected to arrests and torture.

What makes the performance particularly compelling is that each of its nine scenes tells a unique story. One of the most memorable is the scene featuring Motria, his goddaughter, which explores the genuine feelings between two people of different ages. However, Motria’s parents categorically refuse to give their blessing to the relationship, setting the stage for future tragedies.

The production creates a vivid and immersive picture of the historical events of that period, drawing clear parallels with Russia’s ongoing military invasion of Ukraine. The performance is visually striking, combining refined stage design, lighting and sound, props, costumes and accomplished acting.

The role of Mazepa is performed by renowned Ukrainian actor Volodymyr Smotrytel, who founded Ukraine’s only permanent one-person theatre long before the full-scale invasion. Over the course of 30 years, the theatre has created solo performances across a range of genres, participated in numerous international competitions and received multiple Grand Prix awards.

Today, the actor is based in the United Kingdom, performing in cities across the country with the touring one-person theatre KUT.

PLEASE NOTE:

Audio summaries are played before each scene, making the performance accessible to English-speaking audiences.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2002964577971