Three puppet shows from Kyiv, Crimea, and Lviv vied in the Suitcase Theater Contest held in Lomza (Poland).
The contest’s title makes it clear that the contestants had to submit compact renditions, each requiring a jeweler’s precision, demanding a singular approach from the stage director and production designer. The Ukrainian participants proved up to it: Kyiv City Puppet Theater’s “A Cat and a Rooster” (staged by Serhiy Yefremov) won first prize and the Crimean production “Petrushka & Co.” received individual personification awards. The group from Simferopol also received a special trophy for original stage setting. Ukrainian puppet shows are respected in Europe, often bringing home prestigious awards and concert tour invitations. Some of the stage directors are offered individual contracts. In Lomza, a local puppet show contributed “The Good Little Devil” based on Pierre Grippari’s fairy tale, off contest but staged by Kyiv’s Serhiy Yefremov.
Photo by the author:
Serhiy Yefremov in “A Cat and a Rooster”







