A few days ago, the Franko Theatre launched its Experimental Stage with the premiere of Galicia by New York playwright, director and artistic director of New York City Players, Richard Maxwell. The director had previously conducted a masterclass in Kyiv, after which actresses were selected for the upcoming production, with some of the cast joining through open auditions.
In Galicia, Maxwell continues the story as a tale of family disaster, exploring how a family copes after a tragedy set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. He focuses on the family that remains together after Adela’s suicide, examining the impact of tragedy and war on the family, as well as the root causes of the conflict, write the organisers on the Faktura 10 website.
This performance was created as part of the Faktura 10 project with the support of RIBBON International and curated by Marta Kuzma.
Galicia is a variation on Federico García Lorca’s final play, The House of Bernarda Alba, which Richard staged in 2024 with the New York City Players.
Galicia continues and develops the play completed by Lorca in 1936, two months before his arrest and murder at the start of the Spanish Civil War. Lorca’s death foreshadowed personal and political conflicts that led to the overthrow of the democratically elected government. He was sacrificed before the war began, but in anticipation of the coming disasters, he was already writing about the “duende” – the artist’s changeable and multifaceted means of agency; a fighter who “destroys forms to reach the essence of forms,” writes curator Marta Kuzma in the project description.
She also said it was a great honour that, despite the war, Richard Maxwell agreed to come to Kyiv to work with the actors.
The theatre’s artistic director, Yevhen Nyshchuk, was present at the premiere. He recalled showing the American director various parts of the theatre, including the production workshop, and how the director had remarked on what a wonderful space it would be for experimental productions. And in just a few months, it became precisely that. Richard Maxwell also attended the performance in person. According to him, he felt that Ukraine was now the perfect place for creativity.
After the performance, the actress playing Bernarda (one of the main roles in the play) shared that she had dedicated this performance to her son, who is currently serving on the front line.
In the future, the Experimental Stage will serve as a platform for young artists and for discovering new theatrical talents.