A revolutionary electropunk opera is coming to Šiška, based on the autobiography of Maria Alyokhina, a member of the infamous feminist collective Pussy Riot. The internationally resonant protests of Pussy Riot, alongside the trials and prison sentences of its members, provide the fuel for a constantly evolving performance that for nearly a decade has addressed everything from the collective’s original political persecution to today’s Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Pussy Riot: Riot Days is a story of resistance, repression, and revolution that blurs the lines between a concert, theatre, protest rally, and political activism. Since its first performance in 2017, the show has toured the world and been staged more than four hundred times, racking up numerous international awards and heaps of critical acclaim. Particularly telling is the reaction of the Russian Embassy in Switzerland: “There is no doubt that the absolutely obscene actions that take place on stage, containing insults of Russia and its leadership, have nothing to do with culture or art.”
With their so-called punk prayer against Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral in 2012 and other guerrilla protest performances, the Pussy Riot collective sparked widespread controversy worldwide, while facing political persecution in their homeland that culminated in the high-profile trial of three of its most prominent members. Maria Alyokhina was sentenced to a two-year prison term, but continued her activism upon her release. Today, she lives in exile abroad, using her work to keep drawing attention to the corruption and violations of the current Russian regime, while also raising funds for the victims of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Pussy Riot: Riot Days channels her radical stance and real-life events into a unique performance that sharply tackles burning contemporary issues, leaving the audience equally filled with anger and hope that changes to the world order are still possible.
Tickets on sale on Friday, June 12 at 11 am online and at Eventim outlets.
Organisation: Kino Šiška.
