Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Israeli theatre company Gesher, based in Tel Aviv, presented its production of “Bloody Mary” at the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre as part of the Baku International Arts Festival (BIAF). Directed by Dmitry Krymov, one of the most influential theatre directors of his generation, the production was staged for Baku audiences on November 1 and 2.

The visit of the renowned Israeli theatre company was one of the highlights of the festival programme, which brought together diverse artistic traditions, theatrical languages and contemporary interpretations of world classics.

“Bloody Mary” premiered in June 2026. Inspired by Friedrich Schiller's famous tragedy “Mary Stuart,” the production goes far beyond a conventional stage adaptation or literal interpretation of the literary work. Krymov creates an independent theatrical universe in which fragments of the classical narrative intertwine with contemporary reality, personal and collective memory, grotesque imagery and absurdity.

The action begins in an emergency department, where people from different eras and worlds encounter one another. Among them are two actresses preparing to portray Mary Stuart. As the story unfolds, the boundaries between reality and theatrical space gradually disappear, giving the familiar themes of power, jealousy, rivalry and execution an unexpected contemporary dimension.

At the heart of the production are two queens: Elizabeth, portrayed by Israel (Sasha) Demidov, and Mary Stuart, played by Evgenia Dodina. Rather than conventional historical representations, the characters emerge as symbolic, grotesque and almost circus-like figures. Yet beneath their masks and theatrical performances, deeply human emotions and personal struggles gradually come to the surface.

Comedy and tragedy coexist throughout the production, while black humour meets confessional sincerity and theatrical illusion unexpectedly transforms into an intensely vivid reality.

In addition to Demidov and Dodina, the cast includes Polina Pakhomova, Nikita Goldman, Nikita Oleinikov, Ruth Senderovich, Itay Tarkhanov and Boris Repetur.

During a meeting with journalists, the leading actors discussed their experience of working on the production, Krymov's distinctive directing style and their participation in BIAF.

Israel (Sasha) Demidov, who portrays Queen Elizabeth, described his collaboration with the director as a unique creative experience.

“Working with Dmitry Krymov is, I think, like experiencing magic. Magic in terms of his method, energy and ability to transform material. He radiates a special personal energy that a good actor immediately senses. Creative ideas begin to emerge from it, and interesting concepts and unexpected solutions are born,” the actor said.

According to Demidov, the production involves numerous challenges and unusual artistic demands, but these very difficulties serve as a springboard for discovering new forms of theatrical expression.

One aspect that particularly attracted journalists' attention was Krymov's decision to cast a man in the role of a female character. Asked about this choice, Demidov said that he was already familiar with this kind of theatrical experience.

“I am actually a specialist in women's roles. I once played Desdemona, as well as an actor performing female roles. It is very interesting. But I want everyone to know that I am a man,” Demidov remarked with humour.

Speaking about Baku, the actor said that he was already familiar with the Azerbaijani capital. A year earlier, he had visited the city with the production of “Anna Karenina,” in which he played Karenin.

“Baku is some kind of oasis, a free space where I see many different and interesting energies and an incredibly rich and complex spirit,” he said, also highlighting the importance of the international festival.

Evgenia Dodina, who plays Mary Stuart, emphasized that the most fascinating aspect of the production was the opportunity to work with Krymov's distinctive artistic vision.

“The most interesting part of this production for me was working with Dmitry Krymov. I always have some idea of how everything will begin, but I have absolutely no idea how it will end. Because this is true authorial theatre in the fullest sense of the word,” the actress said.

According to Dodina, Krymov does not simply transfer a classical work to the stage. Instead, he enters into a dialogue with it, sometimes even challenging it through a fierce artistic confrontation.

“He takes classical material and does not simply illustrate it. He enters into a dialogue with it, sometimes even a passionate argument. He always incorporates the reality surrounding us into his productions, filtering it through his own artistic vision. The creative journey he takes us on is incredibly captivating,” Dodina noted.

The actress also revealed that “Bloody Mary” was her first collaboration with Dmitry Krymov, expressing hope that they would work together again in the future.

Asked about her onstage interaction with Demidov, who portrays Queen Elizabeth, Dodina stressed that theatre has no conventional limitations when it comes to casting and character roles.

“This is theatre, and anything is possible in theatre. I have played children, animals and men. I could probably even play an alien if I knew what they were like. Theatre has no limits,” she said.

She added that the production's artistic complexity lies in Krymov's ability to bring seemingly incompatible elements together and transform them into a unified theatrical world.

The artists' impressions of the Azerbaijani capital formed another important part of the meeting with journalists.

For Evgenia Dodina, the visit marked her first encounter with Baku. Despite her busy touring schedule, she managed to explore parts of the city and form her own impressions.

“I have a feeling of grandeur. Everything here is expansive, including people's mentality. It is very beautiful, the people are pleasant and polite, and there is wonderful energy. That is the impression I have,” she said.

Speaking about the atmosphere of BIAF, Dodina described it as festive, noting that the city itself seemed to reflect the spirit of the festival.

The actress also discussed the emotions she hoped audiences would take away from “Bloody Mary.”

In her view, the production does not offer ready-made answers, as every audience member enters the theatre with their own experiences, concerns and questions.

“I would like everyone to find an answer to whatever is troubling them. The production touches on many different themes, and everyone can discover something of their own in it. I would like people to leave the theatre and smile or exclaim, ‘A-ah!’” Dodina said.

Journalists also asked about her consistently positive outlook on life. The actress acknowledged that maintaining an optimistic attitude is largely a conscious personal choice.

“There is no other way; otherwise, we would sink into darkness. Everyone makes their own choice in life,” she replied with a smile.

Commenting on the Baku audience, Dodina observed that its reactions differed noticeably from those of theatre-goers in Tel Aviv.

“The audience is wonderful. It is very different from the audience in Tel Aviv. What makes people laugh in Tel Aviv is met with silence here, while things that are met with silence there make people laugh here. The reactions are different, and things resonate differently,” she explained.

The performances of “Bloody Mary” offered Baku audiences more than an opportunity to discover a new production by Israel's Gesher Theatre. They also demonstrated how classical literature can serve as a starting point for exploring contemporary realities.

Rather than offering a definitive interpretation of Schiller's tragedy, Dmitry Krymov presents a multilayered theatrical exploration of human nature, power, rivalry and memory. In this artistic world, absurdity becomes a means of understanding reality, masks reveal personal identities, and laughter provides a way of approaching tragedy.

The encounter with Baku audiences demonstrated that a theatrical experience does not end when the curtain falls. It continues through audience reactions, questions and individual interpretations.

Perhaps this is one of the defining characteristics of Krymov's theatre: its ability to leave room for a personal and ongoing dialogue between the stage and the audience.