You presented your show, “Miracle of Christmas”, on the stage of the Palais des congrès de Loudéac (22), this Friday, November 22. How did the Ukrainian national circus survive despite the war?
When the war started, on February 23, 2022, we were at a standstill for three months. The people were afraid and left the city. I lived with my colleagues and around ten people inside the national circus, with the 60 animals. It is a 14,000 m² building in the heart of kyiv. It was the most difficult period. After the curfew, we could not go out into the streets, at the risk of being killed. There was a fire outside. In the morning, we saw the bodies. It was terrible. In June, we started rehearsals and we played again in July.
Is that where this show came from?
The first shows we offered were open to everyone, people left money in the hat if they wanted to. It worked. Then Veronica [directrice artistique, NDLR]created around ten pieces, “Christmas Miracle” is one of them. We create a lot to make money and keep the building. This big trip to France is the biggest project of our circus in our history.
Why did you have to set up inside the building itself?
Before, I lived in a big house in the suburbs of kyiv, by the inland sea. A missile came in, we lost everything, our heritage, our furniture. I myself couldn't put on shoes, I didn't have any costumes, everything was gone. My wife fell ill, she left two months later. We moved into the building.
How is culture in Ukraine?
Fortunately, we didn't lose the circus. But before the war, we had thirteen national theaters, today, there are only six left. The others fell under the bombs. To support our buildings, it's difficult, that's why we need money. Imagine, this Palais des Congrès, here in Loudéac, there are 550 places. In kyiv, it’s 2,000 places.
At the end of December, we leave for kyiv. We are not afraid of war, of criticism, we work, we prepare our traditional show
Are people in demand?
It's different from before. We don't shout with joy, but we smile. Inside [du pays, NDLR]the people and the children want to live. Millions of people still live there.
Presenting this traditional Ukrainian show in Brittany and France, is it, somewhere, to export your culture?
We are here for precisely that. The goal is to present our culture and our people, to say that we exist. They say we don't exist. How so ? I'm here, though. This show is presented in 33 other cities in France. At the end of December, we leave for kyiv. We are not afraid of war, of criticism, we work, we prepare our traditional show. We are happy to be able to do it at the center of the war, in the capital.
France
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