26.06.2023

From 20 to 24 June, the Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theatre of Kyiv toured the famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The theatre team brought to the Irish capital a performance that is exceptionally significant for both countries. It is a stage performance of the play Translations by the famous contemporary Irish playwright Brian Friel. This piece, where the issue of preserving the mother tongue is one of the foremost on the path of self-identification of the Irish people, who fought against the British Empire for eight centuries, is of utmost relevance to the Ukrainian theatre space.
The premiere of the play Translations, staged by the academician, member of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, and artistic director of the theatre Kyrylo Kashlikov, premiered in October last year and immediately attracted the audience's immediate attention. The most resonant theme for most of the audience was the one that was so clearly expressed in the words of the director: "For me, this story is about people living in an era of global change. The story is about how such changes affect the fate of each individual and the life of society as a whole. It's about a choice, about human dignity and love, and about the line that you cross when you lose yourself...".

As part of this tour, in addition to the extraordinary interest and warm reception of the performance by the audience, it is worth noting that the Ukrainian artists met with the President of Ireland, Mr Michael Higgins, and his wife, Mrs Sabina Higgins. During this meeting, Kyrylo Kashlikov expressed his gratitude to the President for the support that the Irish government and its people show to Ukrainians displaced by the war with russia.