Almaty is hosting an
international puppet festival. The event, organized to mark the Republic Day,
has brought together 150 puppet masters and 14 theatre troupes from Poland,
Georgia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Each theatre troupe has
several performances in their repertoire, showcasing their finest productions. The
organizers spent two years preparing for such a large-scale event, gaining
experience from their travels around the world, and only then, they decided to
hold the festival in Kazakhstan. The Almaty State Puppet Theatre, with over 80
years of activity, has participated in international festivals in China,
Turkey, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Tajikistan.
“The day has finally come when we
have accumulated the necessary experience to host such a festival in our
theatre. Our guests from Turkey, Poland, and other countries are enjoying the
best performances. For example, the Uzbek puppet theatre has always been
interesting and unique. We call it an oriental theatre, as their repertoire incorporates
songs and dances in their national style. I hope that later we will see the
theatre troupe from Poland. We have never witnessed their performances, so we
are very interested to see their work,” said Yerkebulan Kadbyl, artistic
director of the Almaty State Puppet Theatre.
In their productions, puppet
masters used a wide range of puppetry types and techniques, from classic hand
puppets to modern multimedia performances. Actors from Uzbekistan are confident
that creativity has no boundaries, and the festival has become an important
moment in the world of puppetry.
“We have gathered from all over
the world to share our knowledge and experience, enriching the puppet culture
and inspiring each other to create new and spectacular works of art,” noted
Sanzhar Ismailov, actor at the Ferghana Regional Puppet Theatre.
The festival will end on October
24. The jury will choose the best theatre director, puppet master, and acting
ensemble. Along with performances, the festival also includes master classes
and lectures. The festival participants are optimistic that the event will
strengthen international cultural ties and make the world of puppetry more
accessible and inspiring for everyone.
