Academic Maly Drama Theater of Europe, Theater venue in central St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Academic Maly Drama Theater of Europe is a playhouse in Saint Petersburg located in a multistory building on Rubinstein Street. The auditorium is arranged on two levels, with the upper gallery offering a view across the entire stage and the lower section positioned closer to the action.
The playhouse was founded in 1944 as the Leningrad Regional Drama Theatre of Small Forms and initially toured different towns across the region. In the late 1960s, the company moved into its current building on Rubinstein Street and settled there permanently.
The venue became known under the direction of Lev Dodin for its approach to rehearsals, where actors and director work together over many months on each production. This method creates performances where the ensemble moves as a single unit, with every gesture carefully coordinated across the cast.
The building sits at 18 Rubinstein Street in central Saint Petersburg, a short walk from major intersections and public transport. The entrance is accessible for wheelchair users, and performances typically start in the evening.
The venue received the title Theatre of Europe from the Union of Theatres of Europe in 1998, an honor granted to only a few stages outside Western Europe. This recognition followed international tours where the ensemble performed in many countries, introducing its approach to audiences worldwide.
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