Queer theatre in Belarus began as an underground burlesque movement in opposition to the formulaic plays of the late Soviet stage. Over time, however, it evolved to engage deeply with the contemporary issues of Belarusian society, addressing topics such as violence, patriarchal national narratives, and attitudes toward migrants, among others.

In this episode, we discuss the unique features of the queer theatrical “language” and explore what connects Reykjavík to Eastern Europe.

Materials mentioned in the episode:

- The Guardian review of Merry Christmas, Ms Meadows: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/aug/20/merry-christmas-ms-meadows-review

- Sarah Kane, 4.48 Psychosis: https://rlmalvin.angelfire.com/KaneSarah448Psychosis.pdf

- Digital Archive of the Belarus Free Theatre: https://www.europeantheatre.eu/news/belarus-free-theatre-opens-up-its-digital-archive-from-the-past-15-years

💋 The publication was produced with support from n-ost and funded by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) and the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) as part of the Education Agenda on NS-Injustice