• The way of paradoxes. The actual imagery of the Soviet Circus of the 1940-1960s

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2021-3-166-192

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Maximilian I. Nemchinsky

D. Sc. in Art Studies, Professor, Head of the Department of Circus Directing
Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS)
Moscow, Russia
E-mail: nemchinskiy@gmail.com

The way of paradoxes. The actual imagery of the Soviet Circus of the 1940-1960s

Abstract

The article analyzes historical facts of the national circus from the beginning of the Great Patriotic War to the 1960s. In the centre of the author’s attention is the political conjuncture, which leaves an imprint on the figurative content of circus programs and individual numbers. The lyric andromantic theme of the 40s, designed to distract the public from the hardships of the war, the campaign to combat cosmopolitanism. It began in 1947 and demanded from the soviet circus art, which had been following the path of internationalization since 1919, a complete revision of programs, stage images of artists, a state directive on the formation of national numbers and programs with an ethnic component. The circus as a synthetic art has always accepted the challenges of the time and sought to answer them on the stage in a theatrical and convincing manner. After losing the basis of the figurative content in 1947, the circus found itself in the position of a sports attraction. In those years the search for new imagery led to the emergence of international groups in partnership with artists from the countries of the socialist union, the implementation of innovative ideas (programs on water, ice, “bear circus”, completely composed of training numbers, bringing exotic animals into the arena – lynxes, yaks, bison, hippos and crocodiles). The circus arena reflected the main themes that affirmed the strength of the multinational Soviet state: the achievements of agriculture, the automobile industry, space and many others. The art of carpet clowns also had its evolution: the numbers gained independence, the artists, demonstrating mastery arts, turned into pervasive heroes of circus performances, the genre of lyrical clowning began to set its own place in the Soviet circus.

Keywords

circus art, Soviet circus, circus during the Great Patriotic War, theatricalization of the circus, circus direction, trick, clownery.

For citation

Nemchinsky M. I.The way of paradoxes. The actual imagery of the Soviet Circus of the 1940-1960s. In: Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2021, no. 3, pp. 166–192.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2021-3-166-192

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Received: 25.01.2021

Accepted: 30.06.2021