For four days, mime artists and masters of pantomime from different countries will be performing on a stage and streets in central Tsakhkadzor.

Even though the festival starts this evening, one of the artists, Sergey Chervyakov has already found the time to “provoke” the Armenian audience by turning into a living statue near the future building of the Pantomime Theater at Northern Avenue. The statue looked real, but moved, walked and was looking at people straight in their eyes.

“You Armenians probably don’t even know that your city has a place created for performances, and that place is Northern Avenue. I was surprised by the audience’s reaction,” says Sergey Chervyakov, who is a biologist by his first profession and currently a pantomime.
Even though one of the local “inventive” youth “accidentally” tried to throw the statue down and managed to do so, he was also forced to put it back in its place. During the festival, Chervyakov will present short performances of Leonid Yengibaryan, Marcel Marso and his own.

The most important event of the festival held since 2008 will be the placement of a bronze statue of Leonid Yengibaryan at the central square in Tsakhkadzor. The opening of the statue will be preceded by a flashmob during which the participants of the master’s classes will try to perform the famous clown’s most popular moves.

The festival’s special guest will be Professor of the Academy of Performing Arts in St. Petersburg, candidate of art criticism, author of several books and articles on pantomime, Yelena Markova, who will also be holding the longest master’s class.

“I realized that I had to learn Armenian. I know that theaters in Yerevan have faced difficulties. However, theater has developed, and I’ll do everything possible to help it develop,” assures Mrs. Markova.

The festival will also include specialized master’s courses on dancing pantomime hosted by highly qualified experts.

A while ago, Eritasard.am’s correspondent had sat down for an interview with the festival’s director Zhirayr Dadasyan, who presented in detail what would be happening on the streets of Tsakhkadzor on August 10-15.

Tsovinar Karapetyan