A Tale of the Love of Happiness and Power was brought to life through outstanding acting, accompanied by ethnic music blended with distinctly contemporary sounds
Script and directed by Yaroslav Fedoryshyn Set and Costumes Alla Fedoryshyna
Lighting Krzysztof Dubiel
Sound Mykola Kshanovski
Cast: Nataliya Marchak, Nataliya Lukashonok, Vira Ryfiak, Victoria Zholinska, Petro Mykytiuk (honoured artist of Ukraina), Wolodymir Gubanov (honoured artist of Ukraina), Wolodymir Chukhonkin, Oleksandr Chekmarov, Andriy Leshchyshyn, Nazar Lys .
The Gloria performance, directed by Yarosław Fedoryshyn, is not only an expressive and symbolic street spectacle, but also a deep, artistic reflection on the relationship between man and nature. The colourful setting – dancing stilt walkers, pantomime parades or pyrotechnic effects – attracts attention and engages the audience, but does not obscure the essential message contained in the performance. At the core of the story is an ecological concern: the question of man’s place in the natural world, his impact on the natural elements – fire and water – and the consequences of the pursuit of happiness and power. This symbolic clash between the primal forces of nature and human ambition and greed leads the viewer to reflect on the condition of the modern world and the need to seek harmony with the environment. The director gives voice to nature through music – ethnic sounds, intertwined with modern sound expression, give the performance an almost mystical dimension. They become the voice of the protagonists of this journey: people lost between the need to dominate and the longing for unity with nature. Gloria entertains and delights with its form, but most of all it reminds us that man’s real struggle today is to survive in the world he shapes himself – often at the expense of nature. Voskresinnia Theatre offers not only an artistic experience, but also an important voice in the discussion on ecology. A performance without words. Running time 45 min
They did not discourage the audience, eager for an outdoor spectacle. On the contrary, the Saturday evening storm and the sudden wall of rain gave Gloria unexpected, and quite literally breathtaking, special effects. With this powerful opening, the 3rd Festival Between Words began — a celebration of theatre, poetry, and prose. The performance Gloria, staged in the natural setting of the port of Kołobrzeg, tells a story of love and hatred, of the eternal struggle between good and evil, and of rituals that have accompanied humanity since the dawn of time — brought to life by actors on towering stilts. Despite the pouring rain, the performers carried on, using 25 liters of kerosene to fuel the show. Głos Koszalinski
In the performance of the Ukrainian Voskresinnia Theatre, stilt dances, fire displays, parades of mimes, and juggling antics helped the actors easily connect with the audience. Yet good entertainment and pyrotechnic attractions were not the only value of their work. Much could be read in the play directed by Iaroslav Fedoryshyn. As he explained himself: Gloria is a very difficult story about the struggle a person faces in life. To speak about the beginning of everything, about humanity’s encounter with fire and water, and about its love of happiness and power, we gave the leading role to ethnic music blended with very contemporary expression. Agata Kirol, Mirosław Baran – Gazeta Wyborcza Trójmiasto
A Spectacular Performance by the Lviv Theatre on Legionów Square in Wieluń. True crowds of Wieluń residents admired the spectacular show by the Lviv Voskresinnia Theatre, organized on Legionów Square to mark the celebration of Kupala Night. “I am not afraid to say that this is the cultural event of the year,” admitted Elżbieta Kalińska, director of the Wieluń Cultural Centre. “I am also glad that more and more people of Wieluń are attending theatrical performances,” she added.
The Lviv theatre presented the performance Gloria on Legionów Square. One of the central elements of the show was fire, accompanied by pyrotechnic effects. The striking form of the event, however, had a deeper purpose — to encourage reflection. The performance told the story of rituals and customs that have accompanied humanity since the dawn of time.
— Ireneusz Wierzbicki, Wielun.naszemiasto.pl
The highlight of the festival’s opening day was eagerly awaited: the play Gloria by the Voskresinnia Theatre from Lviv. Rooted in the poetics of the group — already familiar to the Jelenia Góra audience from last year’s Cherry Orchard — the performance is a metaphorical and ethnic journey, a poetic tale about life and the elements of fire and water. The latter — as if on cue — fell from the sky. The rain began to drizzle precisely at the moment when the soundscape featured thunder! Some members of the audience wondered whether it was simply one of the many special effects. But no — it was real rain, which quickly passed and did not interfere with the completion of the play.The spectacle revealed motifs of both oriental and Christian culture. The musical score was crucial: on one hand classical, on the other contemporary, even popular in tone. Yet this juxtaposition did not jar, and the song performed by Ruslana, the Eurovision laureate, used in the stilt dance, gained a new dimension. In some parts Igor Sheryaiev performed live on percussion instruments. Add to this the painterly quality of the scenes highlighted by brushstrokes of light and pyrotechnic effects. For Gloria, directed by Iaroslav Fedoryshyn, the applause was well deserved! – Tejo, www.jelonka.com
Masks in the Street
(…) The Lviv Voskresinnia Theatre conjured up a pyrotechnic and fire-filled presentation of Gloria. This element became the inspiration for the creators and unleashed their most original means of expression. The actors heated up the large audience — both figuratively and literally. It surprised no one that firefighters from Minsk also appeared nearby. Illuminations of light, the dynamic rhythms of drums, dances, smoke, and fireworks built a magical world of humanity.The kindling of fire, the departure from darkness and shadow, the joyful colors of life, wedding celebrations, lullabies for children, the burdens of suffering, and hearts filled with love all came together in a vivid image of the human condition. Monstrous machines, folkloric rituals, costumes and wreaths, primal dances inspired by the music of Eurovision laureate Ruslana, expressive body language, and daring stilt performances painted life as — in the words of the director — one that always follows its arc. Strengthened in the conviction that joy and sorrow are intertwined, and uplifted by the fiery energy of the finale, the people of Minsk dispersed into the slumbering darkness, already awaiting the next storm… (…)
— Teresa Romaszuk, Mińsk Teatralny
