SODOM & GOMORRA — XXI
Author of libretto - the Honored artist of the Republic of Uzbekistan Djalol YUSUPOV
Director - Honored Worker Arts of Uzbekistan Nabi ABDURAKHMANOV
Composer - Albert KHALMURZAEV
Stage Designers - Natalya EVDOKIMOVA, Oybek KAYUMOV, Luiza SULEYMANOVA
Ballet-master - Malika ISKANDAROVA
Running time of the performance for 1 hour.
The premiere:
of the open area version - May, 2001.
of the ordinary stage version - 31 of January, 2004
The performance was made on the theme of International Project 'WORLD WITHOUT DRUGS” under the aegis of UNO.
This performance firstly was staged on the outside, open area stage with participation of 50 actors. On request of many spectators theatre has realized new version of this production on ordinary stage, in which 19 actors are participate
This performance participated in a program of the Moscow International Chekhov's Theatre Festival in June, 2005. Under the offer of the leader of this festival the new version of performance was made with live music band “Fromuz”.
The main idea of the performance was based on the Biblical Parable about the grievously known cities that had been razed to the ground. Unfortunately, this idea still remains the pressing problem of today because to the number of human's vices ever existed in the world have been added the ones of the modern day global drug addiction. Weakness of will, betrayal of the Grandeur of Human's Spirit involve the punishment according to not only Human's but to God's Law.
For the realization of the idea has been found an original way through the Bible plot to comprehend the threatening disaster of today's world which can only be prevented by the Man himself.
The whole performance is formed by motion, movement, without words. The communication between audience and actors occurs through the modern style of dance and the music, which is close and clear to the youth as the performance itself has been meant for young people.
The event described in Bible is brought to the XXI century. Lot, the main character of the Old Testament parable due to the version of the Youth Theatre of Uzbekistan “SODOM & GOMORA-XXI” appears to be a talented rock musician who fascinates by his play the crowds of his fans and takes them to the world inspired by music. Lucifer and his retinue lead the young people astray by the help of a special kind of pleasure drugs. On his side come out the personages who embody the famous rock musicians, the favorites of the past who died prematurely of the drug addiction. Lot is trying to resist all happening around, he fights for his beloved who has also been taken away by Lucifer. The angels, messengers, heralds from the Heavens are trying to help Lot. But the choice for everybody is only one's own choice. Having lost the will, the people loose their lives. And Lot has to leave the city damned by Heavens.
And Heaven moves further away
But Hell ever nearer and ever brighter
The now red and bloody mirage
Swallows up everything and everybody
But the angels carry away and save with good power
The righteous man.
And now there is no city
Old, ancient city.
And now there is no city
Perhaps like the one we live in.
The music for the show has been composed by Albert Khalmurzaev in the manner of progressive rock. After the first night of the performance in 2001 in France was out a CD-disc named “Sodom & Gomorra XXI” (Progressive Symphonic Poem) at MUSEA RECORDS studio.
THE QUOTATIONS TAKEN FROM THE ARTICLES ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE, PUBLISHED IN THE POPULAR UZBEKISTAN NEWSPAPERS:
The “BIZNES VESTNIK VOSTOKA” newspaper in its article “Here we are to tell you the truth” says the following:
“…Sodom & Gomorra XXI” a large scaled fascinating show filled with brightness of music, gesture, emotion, symbolic of staging action.”
“… During the whole of the performance the audience is captured by the effect of charming action, which doesn't release you even a moment. It's impossible to pause for breath…”
“…Pending the performance everybody is staring at the stage, whose decorations is symbolic. Like some kind of revelation appear the sounds. The composer Albert Khalmurzaev chases a modern language of progressive rock, where everything is allowed: the mixing of styles from classical music to hard rock. The method of musical blending is not casual. Unexpectedly enough it gives you the intuitive reason for the images of generation's favorites such as Monroe, Priestley, Holliday, Mercury, Visotskiy, and Hendrix who can be seen from the interior of the stage …”
The “PRAVDA VOSTOKA” newspaper in its article “So that everyone can keep it in mind” speaks about the following:
The youth Theatre of Uzbekistan has introduces to the view of the audience its new performance the plastic/dance show SODOM & GOMORRA XXI the performance has been developed on the theme of the international project “The world without drugs” under the aegis of UNO. The fundamental idea is a Bible story about how severely the people from two cities who had wallowed in lie, sins and lewdness were punished. And only Lucifer came out from the flame in order to tempt us over and over again, perhaps in order to make each of us the images of generation's favorites such as Monroe, Priestley, Holliday, Mercury, Visotskiy, and Hendrix.
The “VATANPARVAR” newspaper in its article “Actors say 'NO' to the evil - the drug addiction”:
This has been the second movement performance in the front of the building. It is understood by everyone without an interpreter for the actors don't speak. They play their roles to the music and by means of motion they inspire everybody with innermost thoughts of the grandeur of beautiful valuable life gifted to each of us.
The “TRUD” newspaper in the article “Don't create an idol for yourself”:
“The theatre has started a very hard enterprise. There existed a danger of “overplaying” in such an extraordinary matter and instead of expressing the protest against drugs it might have probably slid into drug's propaganda. Fortunately, they managed to overcome all the delicate details because it has been not only professionally-made but also heart felt full of urge to contribute its artistic deal into the international campaign “The world without drugs”.
The newspaper “THE BUSINESS-BULLETIN OF EAST” - “We came to you with truth”:
In waiting a show views are rushed on the scene, scenery by which one is symbolical. As revelation the musical sounds are born. The Composer Albert Khalmurzaev elects a modern language of progressive fate, where all permissibles: mixture(mixing) of styles from classics up to high-gravity fate. The method of a musical collage is not accidental (! in case of). Unexpectedly and at the same time intuitively is justified the images of idols of breeds cracked drug are displayed by poison into the depth of the stage: M.Monro, E.Prestly, B.Holiday, F.Mercury, V.Visozky, J.Hendrix...
The newspaper “PRAVDA VOSTOKA” - “For remember to everyone”:
…«The Youth theatre of Uzbekistan has presented to the spectators a new performance plastic/movement show «Sodom and Gomorra-XXI». The performance is created within the framework of the international project «the World without narcotics» under aegis of the United Nations. In the base is a biblical history, how was punished the inhabitants of two cities, bogged down in lie, sin, debauch …
…only Lucifer who comes out from fire to tempt us again and again, and may be to remember for each of us about inevitable punishment for fleeting pleasure …»
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