Ukraine crisis: Actors in

Kharkiv vow to 'carry on' as

Russia's troops sit on the
border
Sky News visits a theatre in Kharkiv, where actors say they
"want to keep going as usual, because entertainment can help
people overcome what is going on".
By Mark Austin, presenter, with Nick Stylianou, producer, in Kharkiv,
eastern Ukraine 
Saturday 19 February 2022 16:03, UK
It would be easy to think that Ukraine’s second largest city,
Kharkiv – as close as it is to the Russian border – would be
hunkered down and fearful. 
But having been here for several days it is clear to me it is no
such thing.
In the grim scenarios of some military experts this former capital
would be the first centre of population to be surrounded and
forced into submission by Russian forces.
But, in truth, it remains a thriving and busy place. Thirty-three
miles from the Russian border but determined to remain
independent and free. And if you can judge a population's
freedom by its theatre, its art and its thinking then Kharkiv is
flourishing and fearless.
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'Theatre is life, and life must go on'

In the backstreets of this city we found the "Actors' House"
Theatre and the man who runs it, Igor Arnautov. This imposing,
bearded and vibrant former actor invited us in to watch
rehearsals for the new play.

It is about war. Not the war that threatens now, but war in
general; about soldiers, their lives and their emotions. It is
moving and it is very funny, and it will pull in the crowds here.
"William Shakespeare said 'All the world's a stage and all the
men and women merely players'. So theatre is life, and life must
go on, even with everything that is happening," he tells me.
It is eleven in the morning, and he is offering us vodka to
welcome us. He laughs loudly when I say it is too early: "It is
never too early."
He takes us into the theatre itself where a rehearsal is
underway. Actors in soldiers' uniforms, directors shouting from
the seats and actress Alisa Kovaleva laughing at scripted lines
she is learning.
'Everyone is calm'
We watch the run-through of the closing scene and after the
curtain comes down, we speak to Alisa and her fellow actor and
the director of the production, Evgeny Safonov.
Alisa says that all the actors want to just carry on working freely:
"We want to keep going as usual, because entertainment can
help people overcome what is going on."
Evgeny is very clear that he thinks the West and Western
leaders have tried to cause panic in Ukraine.
"But there is no panic, everyone is calm, and everyone is
continuing with their lives," he says.
"And we will carry on. And putting on a play about war is maybe
the best thing. If we do that on the stage, then maybe it is less
likely to happen for real."
And they pull no punches with Putin or Russia. Evgeny's theatre
company is called Sakhalin after the name of a Siberian island
that housed hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners in Stalin's gulags.
A message 'for all the leaders'
Theatre manager Igor admits that people are worried
about Russian troops moving into Ukraine. It has been a threat
since 2014 but now, with a force of 190,000 massed on the
border nearby, it is more acute.
I ask him if he has a message for Putin. He thinks long and
hard. "I have a message for all the leaders. For Putin and Biden
and Boris Johnson. Please stop hating one another. Come
together to negotiate an end to this. Please."
He again offers us vodka. We again decline, having work to do.
He smiles and shows us out.
As I leave, the words of Evgeny Safonov ring in my ears: "The
show must go on."