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2016 Shakespeare theatre exhibition in Tbilisi: costume sketches and more



Tbilisi’s Art Palace is holding an exhibition called ‘Shakespeare in Georgian Theatre’ that honours the history of Shakespeare productions in Tbilisi, Georgia. The exhibition, from 12-30 September 2016, is dedicated to the 400th anniversary of British playwright William Shakespeare’s death in 1616 and the 850th anniversary of Shota Rustaveli’s birth – the medieval poet and progenitor of Georgia’s literary heritage.

The ‘Shakespeare in Georgian Theatre’ exhibition features more than 300 works by Georgian painters.

For example, illustrations from Petre Otskheli show costumes sketches for the play, Othello, in 1932.





Nika Kazbegi has costume sketches for Romeo and Juliet in 1941.




Soliko Virsaladze has costume sketches for the ballet, Othello, in 1966.




Giorgia Gunia costume sketches illustrate costumes for Hamlet in 1974.



In addition to the sketches are costumes, such as Anano Mosidze’s dress for Lady Macduff in the play, Macbeth, in 2009.



The painting, above, a portrait of William Shakespeare in profile, is by Vasil Balanchivadze (1870-1951). Actor and painter Balanchivadze studied at the St Petersburg Academy of Arts and was interested in the Georgian productions of Shakespeare plays. He noted that in 1882 Alexi-Meskhishvili staged Hamlet in Georgia, and in 1889 Valerian Gunia staged The Tragedy of King Lear, and in 1925 Marjanishvili staged another version of Hamlet.

The Art Palace (formerly the State Museum of Theatre, Music, Cinema and Choreography) is showcasing Georgia’s most prominant artists, such as Petre Otskheli, Ioseb Sumbatashvili, David Kakabadze, Soliko Virsaladze, Sergo Kobuladze, Parnaoz Lapiashvili, Giorgi Guni and others.

The exhibition, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection, is a collaboration between the Art Palace and the British Council that commemorates both William Shakespeare and Shota Rustaveli. Linguist Ivan Machabeli translated most of Shakespeare’s works into the Georgian language in the 19th century. The exhibition is part of the Shakespeare Meets Rustaveli Project to showcase the incredible contributions Shakespeare and Rustaveli have had on Georgia’s culture.











MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).


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