Actor Artur Shuvalov intentionally cut his veins on stage following the play “Theater. The wrong side” at the Bestuzhev Drama Theater in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia. Shuvalov claimed that the theater had been trying to fire, humiliate, and deprive him of money for a year. On March 29, the theater management fired his wife, Svetlana Polyanskaya. During his speech, Shuvalov blamed the artistic director Vyacheslav Dyachenko and theater director Natalya Svetozarova for his suicide attempt. The actor survived and is currently in the hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries. Shuvalov has three children and has been diagnosed with cancer.
Shuvalov attempted suicide following the play “Theater. The wrong side,” which was staged by former artistic director Sergei Levitsky. Levitsky was fired a year ago, and the Ministry of Culture of Buryatia appointed Vyacheslav Dyachenko in his place. A conflict began within the troupe following the change of artistic director, with actors demanding the return of Sergei Levitsky.
Actress Elizaveta Mikhailova posted a video on Instagram claiming that she, Artur Shuvalov, Svetlana Polyanskaya, and Liana Shchetilina were not cast in new productions. These actors actively advocated for the return of the old artistic director.
Vyacheslav Dyachenko referred to actors as “representatives of an ancient profession” and said that he intended to stage performances “simpler and more understandable to ordinary people.” Under the direction of Sergei Levitsky, the Bestuzhev Theater was nominated for the Golden Mask for the first time in its history.
Actor Artur Shuvalov cut his veins on stage during a bow following the play “Theater. The wrong side” at the Bestuzhev Drama Theater in Ulan-Ude in Buryatia. The actor said that they have been trying to fire him for a year, humiliate him and deprive him of money. On March 29, the theater management fired his wife, Svetlana Polyanskaya.
“Sorry, I’m tired, I can’t, I have no other choice. I don’t want to hear that artists are akin to representatives of an ancient profession, and I think that our viewer is worthy of smart directing, ”the actor said from the stage. After that, he took a blade from his pocket and inflicted cuts on his left arm. The actor blamed artistic director Vyacheslav Dyachenko and theater director Natalya Svetozarova for his death. The video of the speech was published by the Telegram channel “All Ulan-Ude Buryatia”.
The actor survived and is in the hospital. According to the channel “All Ulan-Ude Buryatia”, Arthur Shuvalov has three children and he has oncology.
Artur Shuvalov tried to commit suicide following the play “Theater. The wrong side”, which was staged by the former artistic director of the troupe Sergei Levitsky. He was fired a year ago, on March 22, 2022, and the Ministry of Culture of Buryatia appointed Vyacheslav Dyachenko in his place. After the change of artistic director, a conflict began in the troupe. The actors demanded the return of Sergei Levitsky.
On February 7, the actress of the Bestuzhev Theater Elizaveta Mikhailova posted a video on Instagram (owned by Meta, recognized as extremist and banned) in which she said that she, Artur Shuvalov, Svetlana Polyanskaya and Liana Shchetilina were not put in new productions. These actors actively advocated the return of the old artistic director.
Vyacheslav Dyachenko, the theatre’s new artistic director, in one of his interviews called the actors “representatives of an ancient profession” and said that he intended to stage performances “simpler and more understandable to ordinary people.” “In relation to the artist, you know, in my opinion, since Greek times this is the same profession as the profession of women in antiquity. Nothing changes. An artist is a creature in any case, a forced one, ”he said in an interview with a TV show “Actual topic”.
Under the direction of Sergei Levitsky, the Bestuzhev Theater for the first time in its history became a nominee for the Golden Mask – the play Flood claimed the award in 2021 (five nominations).
The incident at the Bestuzhev Drama Theater in Ulan-Ude in Buryatia has once once more drawn attention to the harsh realities of the world of theater. The artistic struggles, conflicts, and power struggles behind the scenes can have a devastating impact on the mental health and wellbeing of artists. The case of Artur Shuvalov highlights the need for greater support and protection for actors and artists, particularly those who are vulnerable or facing difficult circumstances. It is our hope that this incident will serve as a wake-up call to the wider theater community and lead to a renewed focus on creating a safer and more supportive environment for all those who work in this important field.
