Curator of the "Legacy. Theatre. The Greats" exposition leads interactive tour for guests of the National Centre RUSSIA

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Guests of the "Legacy. Theatre. The Greats" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA had the opportunity to look behind the scenes and learn how a production is created, who is involved in bringing it to life and why theatre is impossible without teamwork. An interactive tour of the exposition was led by its curator, Yelena Kravets.

The exposition, marking the 150th anniversary of the Theatre Union of Russia, brings together more than 600 exhibits from 117 theatre organisations across 29 regions of the country. These include sets and stage machinery, costumes and masks, sketches, props and puppets, archival documents, photographs and video recordings.

"If you want to understand the fantastic world that theatre encompasses, then of course you need to explore it in its entirety. That includes discovering how life backstage works, how the workshops operate and what it means to work in a theatre profession," the curator said.

The exposition route is designed as a walk through a theatre: entering through the "stage door", visitors find themselves in a space dedicated to creative professions, where they can try out different roles through interactive activities. The central part of the exposition is devoted to the history of the Theatre Union — from the establishment of the Society for Mutual Assistance of Russian Artists and the patronage of the Imperial Court to its work today.

The people who create productions held a special place in the curator's account. Yelena Kravets spoke with industry professionals and each time discovered new stories, emotions and creative ideas.

"Although we are talking about professions, we are also talking about people. This is very important both within the National Centre and for our country, as well as in the current situation in the world: we place the emphasis on the individual. In other words, we show examples of people who are happy in their profession," she emphasised.

According to the curator, theatre demonstrates the power of collective creativity particularly vividly. This is why, Yelena Kravets believes, this experience is important for the young audience of the National Centre RUSSIA.

One of the tour participants, Yelizaveta Chaikovskaya from Balashikha in the Moscow Region, shared her impressions: "I am applying to drama school, and my mother suggested visiting this exposition — she said it would be useful for my future profession and simply interesting. I really enjoyed it! It is wonderful to see real costumes and workshops, how the team leaders work and how all of this is created. What struck me most was the character of Moydodyr: honestly, I did not even realise at first that it was him — such enormous trousers, huge shoes, the sheer scale of it all. I think what I will take away from this exposition is happiness — just as the exposition itself is called — and I will definitely recommend it not only to those planning to study theatre, but also to anyone who simply wants to understand what theatre is and what we feel when we experience it."

Yelizaveta Chaikovskaya also added that it was especially enjoyable not simply to walk through the exposition, but to listen to the curator. Yelena Kravets worked with the material herself, spoke with performers and is genuinely passionate about the subject, so every exhibit becomes even more interesting through her presentation.

The "Legacy. Theatre. The Greats" exposition is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.