Free Theater to stage performance tonight; police on alert
The Edward Bond's 11 Jackets play staged by the underground Free Theater is expected to take place not in the capital but somewhere in the Minsk region. The actors, directors and spectators had to improvise in order to reach the show's venue.
On August 22, police commandos and KGB agents disrupted the show's premier in the capital Minsk. Some 50 people were detained during the raid and released hours later. The Free Theater today decided to stage the premier despite a threat from the police.
The premier was planned to take place at a private cottage near Minsk. Soon after the theater started rehearsals, a local police officer came to the house and copied passport details of all who was present during the rehearsals, reports ERB correspondent Vital Malkevich who is at the spot covering the event.
A bus was initially hired to pick the spectators from an undisclosed location and take then to the venue. But when news came that police was ready to block the bus, the organizers cancelled the bus and told people to reach the venue independently with their cars.
Police appeared at the crossing of the street that leads to the cottage, saying they were expecting field engineers because the road was... mined. People had to abandon their vehicles and try to reach the venue through a nearby forest.
The latest reports say the cars were eventually let through. However, several police officers and plainclothes agents are already inside the cottage, copying the passport details of those present in the building.
Photo: www.dramaturg.org
On August 22, police commandos and KGB agents disrupted the show's premier in the capital Minsk. Some 50 people were detained during the raid and released hours later. The Free Theater today decided to stage the premier despite a threat from the police.
The premier was planned to take place at a private cottage near Minsk. Soon after the theater started rehearsals, a local police officer came to the house and copied passport details of all who was present during the rehearsals, reports ERB correspondent Vital Malkevich who is at the spot covering the event.
A bus was initially hired to pick the spectators from an undisclosed location and take then to the venue. But when news came that police was ready to block the bus, the organizers cancelled the bus and told people to reach the venue independently with their cars.
Police appeared at the crossing of the street that leads to the cottage, saying they were expecting field engineers because the road was... mined. People had to abandon their vehicles and try to reach the venue through a nearby forest.
The latest reports say the cars were eventually let through. However, several police officers and plainclothes agents are already inside the cottage, copying the passport details of those present in the building.
Photo: www.dramaturg.org
