 Natalia Koliada at a benefit in New York City, January 2011. | |
| Formation | March 2005 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Location |
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| Website | belarusfreetheatre |
The Belarus Free Theatre (Belarusian: Свабодны тэатр, Svabodny teatr) is a Belarusian underground theatre group.
Following the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, the BFT no longer has any presence in Belarus, with the remaining members leaving in October 2020 to join artistic directors Khalezin and Koliada (living in exile since 2011) in London.[1] As of 2023[update], under the current political system in Belarus the Belarus Free Theatre has no official registration, no premises, nor any other facilities. When the theater was still in Belarus, rehearsals and performances (always free of charge for the public) were normally held secretly in small private apartments, which, due to security and the risk of persecution, had to be changed constantly. On several occasions, performances were given in street cafes and in the countryside, in the woods. Staff members have been repeatedly harassed by the authorities. The stage director and other people were sacked from their jobs at state-run theatres.
- ^ Sherwood, Harriet; Roth, Andrew (6 December 2021). "'We are in limbo': banned Belarus theatre troupe forced into exile". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2024.