The Odesa Academic Musical and Dramatic Theater named after Vasylyk has launched the premiere of the new play "Hello, Monster!" directed by Kyiv's Slava Zhila. This romantic-mystical comedy is based on the play "The Blue Monster" by Italian playwright Carlo Gozzi, which has been translated into Ukrainian for the first time.
The performance delves into themes of power, human vices, and the illusions in which the world lives, where horrors that once seemed endless eventually turn into mere bad dreams.
The premiere showcased a romantic-mystical comedy in two acts. The play, part of the classic world drama, has been translated into Ukrainian for the first time by Viktor Shilo specifically for this production.
"This play is considered a classic of world drama, but it previously lacked a Ukrainian translation of «The Blue Monster». We accomplished this for the first time, thanks to the theater's director and artistic leader Yuliya Pivovarova, as I wanted to present something Italian for Odesa, and I believe we succeeded quite well," said director Slava Zhila.
The plot unfolds in Nanking, a southern kingdom of China, where true love has been separated, leading to intrigues and rumors. The monarch is unaware that his wife is involved with half the city, while the residents suffer from monsters. At this time, two lovers appear: a foreign princess and a crown prince who has vanished under mysterious circumstances. They must undergo fantastical trials to save the kingdom from evil creatures and remain faithful to each other.
The director explained that the play touches on the themes of the thirst for power, the vices of those who seek it, the end of the world, and the hope for a new era. According to him, the dramaturgy is built on the idea that nearly every religion has its savior, to whom people try to shift responsibility. At the same time, the work contains elements of farce, comedy, and satire, as well as a discussion about how people often confuse true love with other feelings.
