About the Theater: Almanac

1922 was a turning point for revolutionary theater. The collection of articles "About the Theater" published in Tver at that time summed up the first five years of revolutionary theater and gave readers a glimpse into its future. The authors of the almanac were "left" critics, directors, and theorists of new movements, from constructivism to production art, directly or indirectly connected with "Theatrical October" by Vsevolod Meyerhold. Using a new language, Alexei Gan, Ivan Aksyonov, Boris Arvatov, and other authors raised the question of the boundaries of theater: are community workdays or May Day demonstrations the performative forms that respond to the spirit of modernity? Can a decoration of a future city installed in the square initiate the process of its architectural transformation?

 The 1922 collection belongs to an era when the new theater became the main support for emerging revolutionary forms of culture and everyday life. However, the authors' reflections, combining performative, social, and political perspectives, remain relevant to this day. The book is published with a new preface, comments, and additions.