The Process of Development of Theatre in Soviet Russia 1917-1927

The article, based on an analysis of archival and open sources, examines the life of the Soviet theater as a process of development a theatrical policy of the Soviet government. This policy refl ected the principles of the relationship between the authorities and theater fi gures, provided for the reforms of theater management, and the establishment of ideological control over it. The author argues that state control over the theater was maintained, because both before the revolution and during the Soviet period, the authorities understood its enormous ideological and emotional impact on the broad strata of society. The author analyzes discussions about the development paths of the new Soviet theater and its relationship with the «old bourgeois» theater. It is shown that the theatrical practices in the post-revolutionary years were negatively affected by the «leftist disease» of a number of leading theater workers and their lack of necessary knowledge and competencies. The author reveals the infl uence of a new practice in theatrical life, that is, the establishment of a «working lane», on signifi cant changes in the audience composition. The author examines the repertoire policy of the People’s Commissariat of Education and proves that it contributed to the preservation of the cultural heritage and the best traditions of the Russian theater. A study of the amateur theatrical movement has led to the conclusion that its scope and emergence «from below» indicate that this movement supports the revolutionary transformations taking place in the country. An assessment is given of the gradual tightening of control over the repertoire of professional and amateur theater. The development of the theater in the fi rst post-revolutionary years was a complex multi-faceted phenomenon, conditioned by the peculiarities of the political, economic and cultural situation in Russia after 1917. Professional and amateur theatre of those years was able to develop a system of work aimed at raising the cultural level of the public. The author concluded that the study of the theater development from 1917 to 1927 provides instructive lessons on how to manage an artistic life in order to avoid excesses and fully realize its potential.