Belarusian director Yury Dzivakou has staged a surrealist children’s production, “Ucho”, at the Guliwer Puppet Theatre (Teatr Guliwer) in Warsaw. The production is based on a play and story by renowned Estonian writer and illustrator Piret Raud.
According to the theatre, inspiration for this witty and wise story came from the famous severed ear of artist Vincent van Gogh. Through the creators’ imagination, audiences are transported into an entirely surrealist world during the performance, where even ordinary things find their own voice.
The story begins with an unusual premise: what should you do if you are simply an Ear and one morning your Head decides to set off on a journey without you? Thus begins the odyssey of a small hero in a vast world. Left alone with the unknown, Ear discovers a rare gift within itself — the ability to listen and truly hear in a way no one else can.
Yury Dzivakou, who served as director and author of the adaptation, turned this story into a luminous parable about how even the smallest part of the universe can become its heart when filled with compassion.
The visual concept for the project was created by Belarusian scenographer Tatsiana Dzivakova. Her artistic approach to the space and puppets is distinguished by transforming stage elements into independent art objects. The artist proposed a bold and highly creative solution: she combined animal forms with expressive human faces reminiscent of characters from popular nostalgic cartoons. The musical score for the production was composed by Illia Semashkevich.
The roles in the production are performed by Polish actors Anna Przygoda and Jakub Franciszek.
The premiere of this international creative tandem became one of the standout events of the current season at the Warsaw theatre, bringing together contemporary Estonian literature, the Belarusian directing school and the Polish acting tradition.
Tickets for the performance can be purchased here.
