Contextual Echoes of Civic Resilience

This two-evening event at Studio Я brings together bold voices from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia, presenting real stories from the heart of activism and resistance.

These plays tackle some of the most challenging questions facing the participants and the societies they represent: How do women’s stories of non-violent resistance disrupt the narrative that erases occupied territories from our collective memory? How does a journalist’s pursuit of truth mirror the struggles of independent media in Belarus today? How do grassroots resistance movements in Russia navigate anonymity and repression, and what alternatives emerge? What ethical dilemmas do cyber-partisans face in their fight against Belarus’s repressive regime, and how do they relate their actions to historical resistance?

With a blend of humour, surrealism, and unyielding grit, these productions offer a glimpse into the lives of those who continue to fight for freedom and peace against overwhelming odds. These are not just readings—they are fierce, real stories drawn from the front lines. A powerful intersection of art and activism.
 

Map of Visible Zones brings to the stage the stories of courageous women in Ukraine resisting Russian occupation.

The Last Witness [of old Grodno] takes you on a journalist’s haunting journey through the  fractured memories of 1939 and 2020 Belarus.

Ultimate Russian Protest Guide: Deluxe Golden Edition (extended version) – a glimpse onto grassroots resistance initiatives both within Russia and abroad with the light touch of magic and humor keeping activists alive and sane.

I’ll HUCK YOU, DICTATOR unravels the complexities of Belarusian cyber-resistance through anonymous testimonies, exploring the ethical dilemmas of defiance in a repressive regime and examining the legacy of resistance across generations.

Texts by Mikita Ilyinchik, Electra Liberte, Amalia Riznich & Iryna Serebriakova

Directed by Kristina Liulchenko, Masha Sapizhak & Julia Shevchuk.


This project is a collaboration between the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin, and the Theater Art and Acting program at the European Humanities University, with support from the German Federal Foreign Office.