Snizhana KRASNYTSKA
Stage director

Snizhana received a grant in partnership with the Atelier des Artistes en Exil.

 What is your artistic background ?
When I was 16, I entered the Kiev Academy of Arts to specialize in “Acting and Theatre Directing”. But I think my artistic journey began earlier, when, at school, I would skip math lessons and go to the park to read poetry, putting a hat next to me, and passers-by would throw money into that hat. I cannot say I was a particularly talented child. My path reflects discipline, a willingness to work hard and an incredible love of the theater. I quickly realized that I could not commit my life to any other profession. After completing my first year of studies, I was cast in my first play in Kiev. I have never loved anything so much in my life. It was the director of this play who wrote the fairy tale “Wonderful Miracles”, for the staging of which I received funding from Porosus. Six months later, I was cast for the second play. I did a performance in February 2022, during which I cut my wrists terribly with glass, there was a lot of blood, everyone said it was a bad sign, but I laughed nervously. Three days later, the war began. I won't describe all the horrors here. Besides, it is not the first time I have lost my home, since I was born in Luhansk (a city occupied in 2014). Then I came to France. A few months later, I realized that I wanted to return to Ukraine. But with only 50 euros in my pocket and a 100-euro return ticket, I stayed... and founded my own theater company “Antithèse”.

How do you view your profession today ?
For a long time, there was no such thing as a director, and the focus was on actors. All the glory was in acting. Today, the focus has shifted to directors. But this controls the acting, and we don't see much real acting on stage now. The acting is much more static. I'm not saying that's bad, because I like the technique myself, but it is just that it is a real trend now. I think it is only a matter of time before the audience gets fed up with it and changes are made. I believe that theater should be what tomorrow's society will be. In other words, it is important to spot trends ahead of time if you want to succeed. For the “Antithèse” Theatre Company, it is important not only to provide the spectator with entertainment, but also to show the real problems of society on stage, so as to encourage everyone to rid themselves of their vices. We immerse ourselves in the period as much as possible, as in the play Either Me or Us, which recounts the horrors of the Soviet occupation of Ukraine and the great famine (Holodomor) of 1932-1933. In this show, almost all the costumes and props are period items, a piece of genuine Ukrainian cultural heritage from my personal collection.

How do you see yourself in 5 years ? In 10 years ?
I can definitely see myself sticking solely with this profession. In 5 years' time, when I have hopefully mastered the French language, I will be back on stage. I believe that a director must also be a good actor, which is why I want to put my skills into practice and acquire new knowledge. In 10 years' time, I see “Antithèse” as a reference theater company with its own premises, as well as a school attached to it. Various performances will be presented. I would also like to discover French folklore and perform a play based on that, as at the moment my works are based on Ukrainian folklore. Thanks to my performances, people will have learned more about Ukraine, its incredible, authentic and unique culture, the war will have ended and many people will have visited my country. The actors in my troupe will be able to do purely what they love, to earn their living solely from acting, and no longer hold down several jobs at the same time. The most important dream: to finally be able to attend my own show as an audience member, and not have to worry about the technical side of things during the show (sounds funny, but it is true).

Interview conducted in 2024
Photography credit : Lys Arango