DOMUS PATRIS
Vertep
The Shadow Theater in the Orthdox Tradition [2:12]
Vertep (puppet-show booths) is a traditional puppet performance, showing the history of the birth of Jesus Christ. Such performances spread in Russia since the 17th century, and vertep has become a part of the celebration of Christmas. This tradition nearly disappeared during the last century, but now festivals of Christmas vertep are held again in Russia.
The artists of the “Uchyony Medved” (“Smart Bear”) Theatre are performing vertep’s representations since 2008. They use only live music, and some communication, singing songs, different games and riddles for the young audience take place between the first part (traditionally the birth of Jesus and the terrible outcome of King Herod) and the second part. What is remarkable is their successful combination of Orthodox Christmas vertep with shadow theatre.
The inner World of the Vertep
Vertep is a Slavic folk Christmas puppet theater, but vertep is not only a performance. The word "vertep" has two meanings: the puppet performance itself and a special construction of the theater panel screen - a multistory box. Vertep represents a special kind of puppet technique - puppets are fixed on a a dowel that moves within the fissure in the bottom of the stage.
The tripartite vertical structure of a vertep is based on the Christmas mys...
History of the Shadow Theatre
Shadow theater as a form of visual art appeared in Asia more than 1500 years ago. During the performance in such kind of theater artists use a translucent screen, a projector and flat colored puppets that are put into motion by actors. When the puppets stick to the screen or are placed very close to it, they become visible to the spectators. Therefore the best name for this kind of theater can be "a theater of marionettes' outlines".
Most of th...
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Saint Tatiana
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Vertep
The Shadow Theater in the Orthdox Tradition [2:12]
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Vvedensky Church
New Church in Moscow [3:00]