Akhe Theatre: Russian Chaos Descends On Vancouver
The White Cabin
When I found out that Russian Theatre Akhe was making its way to Vancouver for the 2010 Cultural Olympiad, I got moderately excited. It is always a treat to see any kind of Russian theatre here in Canada, but I had no idea what Akhe Theatre was. When I started researching them, I was amazed to find out that the theatre has existed for 21 years now, which made me even more incredulous that I have never heard of them. Turned out Akhe is not your typical Russian theatre. In fact, it is very radically different. Akhe was created as an anti-statement to the classic Russian theatrical tradition. They don’t do Chekhov or Dostoevsky, nor do they try to convey any messages or set any contexts for their audience. When Akhe is on stage, it is always up to the viewer to try to make sense of it all. After watching their performance last week, my advice is - if you ever get a chance to see them, leave your logic at home, sit back and enjoy this Russian take on chaos.
I made a request with Akhe to interview them upon their arrival in Vancouver, which they have kindly agreed to. I was determined to watch their show before I sat down to talk with them, so I went last Thursday. The first thing that struck me when I entered the Performance Works Theatre on Granville Island in time for the 8 PM showing of Akhe’s White Cabin was a note on the wall that said, “WARNING: NUDITY AND SMOKING INVOLVED.” Turned out later there was not just nudity, and a LOT of smoking, but a lot of alcohol, water, ropes and newspapers involved too.
Backstage with Akhe
All throughout the play, I was stunned by how such powerful mental images could be created with completely minimalist tools, many of which actor Maxim Isaev says they pack with them from Russia. Whatever else they need, gets made on the spot. As I was talking to Maxim, actress Natasha Shamina was hard at work cutting a piece of white fabric for a makeshift prop for Friday night’s performance. I was also let in on a secret that all the wine and cigarettes consumed during the performance are absolutely real. Isaev says it is part of who they are as an “engineering” theatre, where it is not just about an actor on stage, but a combination of objects, light, sound and the perception of space – something no one else in Russia has attempted to immitate yet.
I asked Maxim if they chose the White Cabin for Vancouver because it has virtually no text, and so would be understandable across cultures. It turned out that most of Akhe’s shows intentionally have no words in them, whether shown in Russia or abroad. But, it seems the theatre has a special attachment to the White Cabin. The show has been in production for 14 years now, but Isaev says he never gets bored doing it.
“It was made to grow up with us … we change, it changes. It is about the things that are interesting to us all the time, regardless of what is going on.”
What became a revelation to me in the course of my conversation with Maxim was the way people perceive the White Cabin here vs. in Russia. Apparently, the way people choose to concentrate their attention is different. For example, Isaev said they were surprised by how much people laugh during their performances in Canada. As I was talking to Maxim, Natasha Shamina passed by and said with a bit of irony that one of the viewers came forward after one of their shows in Vancouver and said their performance was very funny. But, Maxim says the White Cabin was created to draw little if any laughter. Cultural differences? Isaev says it is hard to say because when people go to see them in Russia, they sort of know what to expect. For an unprepared viewer, Akhe can definitely be a riddle.
Maxim Isaev
As I was talking to Maxim, I could not help but think that it just can’t be the same person whom I saw on the stage yesterday. It was bizarre to meet these very abstract characters in person and see real people behind them. Maxim shared that they liked Vancouver a lot because to them it was unusual. When I asked what was so unusual about Vancouver, he said it had a very pleasant sensation of space. Coming from someone who gets to play with the concept of space on a daily basis, I thought it was an interesting observation about this city. But, it turned out it was not the first time in Canada for Akhe. They toured Quebec four years ago.
The theatre is now done with the PUsh Festival and is off to Toronto and Quebec City. I found out they no longer have a place to call home back in Russia. Their theatre in St. Petersburg was closed down over a fire threat concern after the tragic events at a Perm nightclub where over a hundred people died in a fire that started over faulty firecrackers. Given how much fire and smoke Akhe uses in their shows, it was deemed unsafe. So the theatre is going nomadic for now, visiting numerous countries on their way back. If you get a chance to catch up with them anywhere, you have my thumbs up.
Akhe’s Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/akhe/
Akhe's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/akhegroup