Tom Stoppard In Minsk :: Charter'97 :: News

“My impressions from the visit to Belarus differ from impressions which I had in the Soviet Union and the Czech Republic: the fear is hidden inside,” told the acclaimed British playwright after his visit to Belarus. Tom Stoppard visited Minsk from August 28 to September 2 on personal invitation of the director of the project “Free Theater” Natalya Kolyada and playwright Nikolay Khalezin. The great British dramatist, together with the former president of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel and American playwright Arthur Kopit, is one of the trustees of the project “Free Theatre”. On one of the days of the visit Tom Stoppard met representatives of the civil initiative Charter’97, the youth resistance movement “Zubr”, students of the Belarusian Humanitarian Lyceum, intellectuals.

Tom Stoppard with Charter’97 activists

Tom Stoppard and international coordinator of the Charter’97 Andrei Sannikov

During these meetings one could feel how sensitive the playwright is to the problem of human rights violations. A member of Amnesty International who had visited the Soviet Union and the Czech Republic in the times of Communist dictatorship, he felt like returning to the past in a time machine. He saw beating of peaceful demonstrations, arrests and a complete absence of freedom of speech in Belarus.

Tom Stoppard with Zubr activists

The meeting with the leader of the civil initiative “We Remember” Iryna Krasouskaya was a real shock Tom Stoppard, after he learned the details of the abduction of the well-known public and political leaders of Belarus.

Tom Stoppard and the leader of the civil initiative “We Remember” Iryna Krasouskaya

Tom Stoppard’s going to the action held by the students of Yakub Kolas Belarusian Humanitarian Lyceum was a complete surprise to them. On September 1 the students organized a protest by the building of the Lyceum, taken from the collective of the Lyceum by the authorities. Tom Stoppard greeted the students and told that it was an honour for him to support them in this hard moment.

Tom Stoppard and students of the Belarusian Lyceum

Tom Stoppard also talked to the famous Belarusian film-maker Yury Khaschavatski and an artist Uladzmir Tsesler. The viewing of the film “An Ordinary President” ended by more than two-hour talk about the history of the film and foregoing events. The playwright also met with Uladzimir Tsesler in his workroom, and enthused over his works. Estimating the meeting with Tsesler, Tom Stoppart said: “Volodya is a man who can inspire for creating of a drama work by his art and by his personality”.

Tom Stoppard and artist Vladimir Tsesler

Sharing his impressions over the visit to Minsk, Tom Stoppard said: “My impressions after the visit to Belarus differ from the impressions of the Soviet Union and the Czech Republic: the fear is hidden inside, and walking down the streets of Minsk, sometimes it’s impossible to understand that you are in a country with a deeply-rooted totalitarian system”.

During his one-week visit to Belarus he mapped out his days to the last five-minute increment. He was busy for about 12 hours daily. During his stay Tom Stoppard held a two-day master-class for Belarusian playwrights and stage directors, met art and culture personalities, representatives of civil society, visited several historical places in Minsk, and old towns of Belarus Mir and Niasvizh.

Tom Stoppard and young Belarusian stage directors and playwrights

The master-class by the great British dramatist was preceded by a performance of the “Free Theatre” on Sarah Kane’s play “Psycho 4.48”, staged by Uladzmir Scherban. The work of the stage director and the actresses Yana Rusakevich and Olga Shantsyna was highly appreciated by maestro, as well as the level of Belarusian playwrights taking part in the seminar. Speaking about his impressions of the two-day communication with the young theatre workers, he said that “Belarusian playwrights are people of absolutely European theatre context. If it was not for the simultaneous translation, I could have forgotten that I see Belarusians and not young British authors”.

Tom Stoppard visit a memorial to Minsk Ghetto prisoners “Yama”

The visit of Tom Stoppard finished on September 2, but he expressed a wish to come to Minsk again, to the first night performances of t stage directors and actors.