"I BELIEVE WE CAN"

What do we know about the city, which is the fourth largest city of the country by its economical indicators? Only that it hosts the artificial Mingachevir Sea, as well as the Upper Garabagh and Upper Shirvan water canals. I have always been amazed to hear the stories of my friends about the sea in Mingachevir. And I wondered if it called be a sea at all, compared to the one we have in Baku! But when we visited the city to watch the performance in the Marziya Davudova Drama Theatre, we understood why the well-known water reservoir was called so pompously. And it had nothing to do with the various species of fish living in the ‘sea’ for the pleasure of amateur fishermen! Everything is much simpler. It's all about love! Love for their big house called Mingachevir and everything in that house: universities, colleges, schools, museums, football club, exhibition hall, ancient settlement, rowing centre, beautiful boulevard, computer production company, fish farm, the Kura River that divides the town into two halves, and many more! However, it is better to see it all on a weekend trip to Mingachevir than to read our description of the experience, which is hard to express in words. A visit to the historical museum and theatre will also add value to your overall experience.

The Marziya Davudova Drama Theatre was expecting a premiere of Othello by chief director Vusal Mehraliyev based on William Shakespeare's eponymous play. This is his first production for adults since his appointment as chief director. Before that, Vusal staged fairy tales for children.

These two productions are a product of Mehraliyev’s first collaboration with director Anar Guliyev, who has been leading the theatre for almost a year now. Both are young, full of creative energy and a desire to create performances for their audiences, performances that will help to build a strong sustained dialogue between the theatre and the city, based on mutual trust and interest.

About theatre

It was established in 1968. The theatre opened with the play Almaz by Jafar Jabbarly. In 2011, it underwent a complete renovation as part of the state programme to improve Azerbaijan’s theatres in 2009-2019. In 2018, the theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary. By that time, it had staged almost 300 performances by national and foreign playwrights, including during the tours and festivals in Georgia, Russia and Turkey. Today, after the infamous pandemic, the theatre continues to win back its audience.

We talk about the developments with Vusal Mehraliyev, a graduate of the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute (workshop of Mikhail Borisovich Borisov). He has figuratively grew up in the theatre, since he started his career after graduating from Secondary School 14 in Sumgayit and continuing in Baku at the Young Spectators’ Theatre as an actor. In 2016, he joined Borisov's course and was then appointed by the Ministry of Culture to lead the team of actors working at the Mingachevir theatre. Alien is a result of Vusal’s reflections on human vices taking shape and the power of triumphant Evil. This is the director's question to his audience: why do we so willingly succumb to Evil? Why do we trust Evil more than we trust ourselves? Why do we so easily turn into obedient, trusting puppets? But our conversation will not be about the play. It is about the theatre.

"Mingechevir is an industrial city. But can you call it a theatrical city?"

"Yes, it is a city with cultural traditions of theatrical performances. And I mean it, for during these six months of my stay in Mingachevir, I have got acquainted with people from different spheres, including industry, science, creative businesses, education, health care, and so on. My conclusion is the city needs theatre, Mingachevir shows interest in theatre. It is inspiring!"

"It seems you have already researched and know the interests of your audience."

"No, I can't say that. I can only refer to those of them who I had been in direct contact with."

"How do you feel about being a chief director?"

“For me this is more of a mission than a position. A mission of responsibility for the professional level of the actors, for the development of the repertoire in line with our dialogue with the audience. It is important that this dialogue is interesting to all and at once.”

"What do you mean?"

"The choice and production of a play must be motivated not only by good and professional dramaturgy, but also by a theme that can be developed and presented to the audience in a relevant way. This depends on the interest and professionalism of our actors, as well as the interest of the stage director. In addition, the genre specifics of drama should also vary, because the changing of genres also means professional training for actors."

"What is the most important thing in this process?"

"I think it is all about professional and human trust. It is very important for me to establish such a level of interaction with each actor that the mutual understanding and trust between us raise the performance to a higher level artistically."

"What are your plans, together with director Anar Guliyev, on the repertoire policy?"

"We agreed upon this issue right from the moment of my appointment. Currently, it is important for us to form a repertoire of classical drama, because classics can enable an actor to raise his professional capabilities to a new level."

"Why do you give preference to classical plays?"

"Because unlike modern plays, the classical ones are perfect in their form—in terms of the expressed theme, creation of human characters, clearly expressed conflict. Professional growth, education and training of actors is only possible through classical plays."

"What about the professional potential of your actors?"

"They are very good. I am happy that they actively respond to all my suggestions by attending training sessions daily. They have been very supportive during the rehearsals of Shakespeare's difficult play, we are staging now. Well, not everything has gone smooth and not everyone succeeded in this play. But I can see how they try to improve their roles each passing day. I cultivate that in them and support them. I believe in them."

"How do you plan to develop the repertoire for children?"

"Next season, we will create a whole series of fairy tales based on the works of one of the local writers originally from Mingachevir. I once read her book for children and I loved it. Her name is El Güsel. She is a school teacher. One of her characters is named Munajjim Selim. We decided to call the series of fairy tales by his name: The Tales of Munajjim Selim. These will include various tales though, with each story having its own title. Anar Guliyev and I plan to launch this big project in September."

"What is the theatre's genre preference: comedy, drama, melodrama?

"Drama and comedy. At least at this stage."

"What does your team do to expand the actors' professional skills to go beyond the clichés?"

"Everyday training sessions that begin at 10am. These include stage speech, movement and vocals. But there are also special trainings for each genre of performance. That's what we do now, for example. We have recently started the rehearsals for Dario Fo's play Housepainters Have No Memories, which go in parallel with my training sessions specifically for this genre of play."

"So every morning you hold general training sessions for everyone, followed by special sessions for actors playing in Fo's play?"

"No. Special training involves everyone too..."

"But why Dario Fo?"

"After a difficult period of dramatic work on Shakespeare’s play, I wanted the actors enjoy the elements of the opposite genre. The playwright opted for a farce for clowns, and I want the actors to touch this genre as well."

"Is it going to be a farce, a comedy-bouffe (a stage performance based on comic, buffoonish positions) or a comedy of situations?"

"Of course, it's a comedy of situations. But with elements of buffoonery... perhaps! It's a play that lends itself to this genre, it's fun for the actors to work on the characters, and the audience will love this funny joke-like story, too. We believe so."

"How many stage directors are there in the theatre today?"

"Right now it's just me. But the director and I have sent out invitations to several directors we would like to work with. We'll see who responds. It's too early to tell."

"What are your plans together with Mr. Guliyev to promote the theatre in the city and in Azerbaijan?"

"First of all, we want to launch a website, and then organize guest performances in nearby districts, which have no theatres at all. We will talk to the leadership of these districts, and it is quite possible that our performances will be attended periodically by the so-called target audiences from these districts. Just a weekend bonus. We also plan to take part in the national theatre festival 4.4 slated for this autumn. We are also contemplating the idea of creating a press club at the theatre with the participation of journalists. There are many ideas. I don't want to voice them all yet. But I believe that Anar Guliyev and I will make it running..."

"Good luck to you, Mr. Guliyev, your actors and the staff of your theatre!"

"Thank you! And good luck to your team as well!"