Tin and Gold

“Tin and Gold” is a theatrical and poetic collage based on the works of Joseph Brodsky.

…Beginning with the crises of the 1980s — and there were many.
In the 19th century, a decree of the Russian government required that the domes of the capital’s churches (St. Petersburg) be covered not with thin gilding but with solid gold.
Which is to say — not gold at all, but paint based on tin sulfide, imitating a golden shine. Yet after 5–6 years the paint faded, turning greyish-green. In St. Petersburg’s swampy atmosphere, this happened even faster…
This one-man show, “Tin and Gold,” is dedicated not only to the relationship between Joseph Brodsky and St. Petersburg, but also to the theme of changing islands: Vasilievsky to Manhattan — as a symbol of shifting power…

In the play, Brodsky’s texts become subtext for Russians, while his “meaningless” poems form a dramatic poem-performance.
But because four puppets take part in the action, each expressing its own thoughts on everyday life and its meaning, this theatrical evening may be described as a “buffoon drama with entrances and tricks, wanderings and mischievous antics.”

The tightly stretched presentation-text suddenly and richly relaxes into Petersburg lyricism, allowing the audience to sense the boundary between kitchen philosophy and philosophical buffoonery.
Only through a near-catastrophic effort — primarily the clownish grimaces of the actor — can the parallel actions (buffoon and domestic, personal and collective) avoid collapsing into full absurdity.
The theatre attempts to follow Brodsky’s symbolic path from one empire to another: from the Moscow Art Theatre to Manhattan.

Clown: Grigory Kofman
Kitchen: puppets with the support of Grigory Kofman

Duration: 70 minutes