Theatre History Overview - Part 30 - Azerbaijani Theatre

Theatre in Azerbaijan can be traced back to games and religious rites where wrestlers adn weightlifters known as pehlevans would play zorkhana games and Caucasian folk poets and singers would play an Azerbaijani long-necked lute known as the saz. However, it was only at the end of the 19th century that professional theatre became part of Azerbaijani culture. This started when Mizrah Fatali Akund-Zadeh, a colonel and educator by inclination, wrote six comedy plays between the years 1850-1855. He was inspired Moliere.

A bit after this, there would be some visiting performers from Russia that would perform in the Russian language, but their performances had nothing to do with the Azerbaijani culture. Around 1875, a performance of The Adventures of the Vizier of the Khan of Lenkaran by Mirzah Fatali Akhund-Zadeh was staged by an amateur group of Azerbaijan performers. This happened on Novrus Bayran, the celebration of the Azerbaijani new year.

In 1883, the first European-style theatre appeared in Azerbaijan. It was in Baku and was called the Taghiyev Theatre. However, this theatre was based off of the theatre in Russia and those were copied from European theatres. That meant that Taghiyev Theatre as a copy of a copy. Muslim men found the theatre requirements disgusting as they had to shave their beards, wear makeup, and even wear women's clothing as women were not allowed to act. Despite these obstacles, tehatre grew.

From 1920 to 1990, Azerbaijani theatre was full of self-expression. It was considered a pure actors' theatre. There were places for fiery speeches, melodramatic feelings, and tragic conflicts. It also had performances of classic plays that had been translated into the Azerbaijani language. Plays by playwrights such as Shakespeare and Hugo were performed.

In the 1980s, directors such as Huseynaga Atakishiyev, Vagif Ibrahimoglu and Azerpasha Nemat were trying to change the concept of a national Azerbaijani theatre. Plays such as The Career of Arturo Ui (1981), The School in Danabash Village (1983), Greetings from Heydarbaba (1990), and the Son (1990) all had an impact on Azerbaijani theatre culture because of the different aesthetics and dranaturgies used.

Azerbaijan still has a strong theatre culture to this day. The theatre seasons tends to be like most in the United States where theatres go dark for the summer and then a new season starts when the fall begins.

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