Jon Fosse Festival
April 6-9
After Henrik Ibsen, Jon Fosse might be the best known Norwegian playwright. The Jon Fosse Festival is a four day multi-venue event organized by the Norwegian Embassy in Moscow will introduce the works of this important contemporary dramatist to Moscow. Jon Fosse also writes prose, which can be considered postmodern minimalism, while his plays are distinctly post-dramatic. Norwegian company De Utvalgte (The Chosen) will present their interpretation of “Shadows,” a Jon Fosse play written in 2005, while Kamal Theater from Kazan will show their production of “A Summer Day,” another important work by the Norwegian playwright. More info here.
Center Festival Weekend
April 6-8
Center Festival is a documentary film festival about urban culture and contemporary life organized every fall by the Center of Documentary Cinema (CDK) and Museum of Moscow. This weekend you can check out a showcase of six best films from last year’s festival, including “Beuys,” a documentary about the 20th century German artist Joseph Beuys, and “Maurizio Cattelan: Be Right Back” about the Italian contemporary artist. Or check out Sundance winner “Machines,” about an Indian textile factory.
More info here.
2 Zubovsky bulvar. Metro Park Kultury. +7 (495) 637 7919. www.cdkino.ru
Nothing But Thieves
April 7
Up and coming British indie rockers Nothing But Thieves are coming to Moscow for a second visit in under a year. This Saturday at Glavclub they will present their second effort “Broken Machine,” which received some critical praise. Their music has been often compared to bands like Foals or The Neighbourhood.
11 Ulitsa Ordzhonikidze. Metro Leninsky Prospekt. +7 (495) 230 1030. glavclub.com
Torba-na-Kruche
April 7
Torba-na-Kruche is a rock band from St. Petersburg that will be twenty years old this fall. Despite little media exposure, Torba-na-Kruche developed a faithful fan base over the years and released several albums, the latest one in 2014. Their unwieldy name is actually a Russian translation of “Bag End,” the name of the Baggins’ residence in "The Lord of the Rings," and their sound is similar to other Russian mainstream rock-bands from the 1990s like Tantsy Minus or Splin, but a bit more low-key. This Saturday at 16 tons Torba-na-Kruche will perform with a brass band.
6/1 Ulitsa Presnensky Val. Metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda. +7 (499) 253 5300. www.16tons.ru
Chapayev and Void
April 7-9
“Chapayev and Void ” is probably the most popular production of Praktika, one of Moscow's most experimental theaters. It's based on a novel by Viktor Pelevin, also known as “Buddha's Little Finger” in English translation. Whether you have read this modern Russian literature classic or not, this production by Maxim Didenko will leave you completely spellbound. The first and the longest act is a bona fide musical with a whole live band on stage. Ivan Kushnir, Didenko's longtime collaborator, wrote the music. The second act is devoted to one of the scenes of the novel and the third is more of a contemporary dance performance.
30 Bolshoi Kozikhinsky Pereulok. Metro Mayakovskaya. +7 (495) 544 5545. www.praktikatheatre.ru
