In theater, various forms of art come together: dance, singing, public speaking, scenography, and much more. But there is also the concept of "time" in theater.
Actors step onto the stage, the lights come on, music fills the space, and movements and images come to life. The same performance, played again, will be different. Someone might step on stage a little later, a line might be delivered a little earlier, or a scene might change. This leads to the idea that theater, as an art form, exists only in a specific moment in time.
One hundred years ago, E. B. Vakhtangov formulated the principle of the theater’s trinity: author, time, and ensemble. Once again, these three components must align at a specific moment in time. When this happens, the performance will be a success.
The photographs capture the story of the creation and scenes from the play Comet in Moominland, staged by the Theater of Young Muscovites and directed by Andrey Zadubrovsky. He adapted the play from Tove Jansson's story in the spring of 2022. One of the central ideas of the story is that a catastrophe is approaching — a comet is on its way. Yet, against this backdrop, friendship, family, and love prevail. This is what the director wanted to discuss with the actors and the audience. It became a reflection of the reality we live in — a period of time that is very challenging to comprehend and explain.
For various reasons, the play could not be released at that time, and only two years later did everything align at a single point in time, leading to its premiere on December 14, 2024.