Honorary artist of Russia and honorary artist of Ukraine
Professor of The Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS)
Founder and artistic director of Roman Viktyuk Theatre
Roman Viktyuk is one of the legendary names in Russian theatre; great, provocateur and follower of Alexander Tairov’s approach, he is a universal artist capable of working with different theater genres and forms.
Born in Lvov, Ukraine in 1936, in 1956 Roman Viktyuk graduated from The Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow as an actor. Outstanding soviet theatre directors including Yury Zavadsky and Anatoly Efros were among his teachers. Right after the Academy Roman got taken by directing and tried it out in Lvov, Kiev and Tver until in 1970 he took a position of theatre director in Russian Drama Theatre in Vilnius, Lithuania. Here he first directed famous THE DUCK HUNT by Alexander Vampilov and VALENTIN AND VALENTINA by Mikhail Roschin.
His era in theatre started in 1975 when he relocated to Moscow and directed Leonid Zorin’s THE ROYAL HUNT in Mossovet Theatre, Tennessee Williams’ THE ROSE TATTOO in the Moscow Art Theatre and Ludmila Petrushevskaya’s THE MUSIC LESSONS in Moscow University Student Theatre. The productions thrilled Moscow theatre public but soon Viktyuk attracted special attention from Soviet censorship as ideologically dangerous director.
In 1988 Roman Viktyuk gained great fame with THE MAIDS by Jean Genet, staged at Satiricon Theatre when together with circus director Valentin Gneushev and choreographer Alla Sigalova, Roman Viktyuk managed to create a very unique performance, which combined make up, reminiscent of kabuki mask, the voice of Dalida and a very special way of acting, staring highly acclaimed Konstantin Raikin (Solange). THE MAIDS laid the foundation for Viktyuk’s unique style and a new direction in theatre.
In 1991 Roman Viktyuk opened Roman Viktyuk Theatre with M. BUTTERFLY based on a shocking and ironic play by David Henry Hwang, which became another legendary production after THE MAIDS. Roman Viktyuk Theatre now has 18 productions in the repertoire, among them are Salome (1998), King Harlequin (2010), Rudolf Nureyev (2004), The Last Love of Don Juan (2005), R&J (Romeo and Juliette, 2009), Masquerade of Marquis de Sade (212), Glorious! (2013), At the Beginning and at the End of Times (2014), Phaedra (2015).
Roman Viktyuk’s productions are sharp in form and profound in content. Combining the symbolism with Russian psychological theater, the director is one of the few who really lends himself to the genre of tragedy.
Overall R.Viktyuk has directed over 200 plays. He has worked in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tver, Kiev, Nizhny Novgorod, Riga, Vilnius and other cities. He has also staged productions in Sweden, Finland, the USA, Italy, Greece, Israel.
Roman Viktyuk’s works in theater:
1965-1968 M.Gorky Theatre for Young Audience in Lvov, Ukraine:
“All this is not so easy,” based on the play by G. Shmelev (adaptation of the short story of L. Isarova “The Diary”)
“When the Moon Arises” by G. Gregory
“The Family” by I. Popov
“The Factory Girl” by Alexander Volodin
“The City Without Love” by E. Ustinova
“Don Juan,” based on the play by Jean-Baptiste Moliere
1968-1969 Kalinin (Tver) Theatre for Young Audience:
“I want to see you today”, play by R. Viktyuk
“The Magic Tree” by V.Tkachenko
“Jazz and Ghosts and Us” by E. Nizyurskogo
“One Love Less” by A. Kuznetsov
“Intrigue and Love” by Friedrich Schiller
1971-1975 Vilnius Russian Drama Theatre (Lithuania):
“The Black Comedy,” based on the play by P. Sheffer
“The Meetings and Separation” (“Last summer in Chulimsk”), based on the play A.Vampilov
“The Princess and the Woodcutter,” based on the play by Galina Volchek and Mikhail Mikaelyan
“Like a Lion” by R. Ibragimbekov
“Valentin and Valentina” by Mikhail Roshchin
“Mary Stuart” by U. Slovatsky
“Love is a Golden book” by Alexei Tolstoy
“The Case goes to Court” by A. Chkhaidze
“Do not Leave Your Lovers” by Alexander Volodin
“Rainmaker” by R. Nash
1976 “Evening Light” by A. Arbuzov, Mossovet Theatre
1976 “The Husband and Wife will rent a Room” by Mikhail Roshchin, The Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT)
1977 “It was not the fifth, but the ninth” by A. Nicolay, The Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT)
1977 “The Royal Hunt” by Leonid Zorin, Mossovet Theatre
1977 “The Stolen Happiness” by Ivan Franko, Maxim Gorky Moscow Art Theatre
1977 “The Duck Hunt” by A.Vampilov, Student Theater of Moscow State University
1977 “The Stranger” by Leonid Zorin, N. Akimov Comedy Theatre (Leningrad)
1977 “The Pretender,” based on the play by L. Korsun, Russian Drama Theatre (Odessa)
1979 “The Music Lessons”, based on plays by L. Petrushevskaya, Student Theater of Moscow State University
1981 “The Pretender” by H. Kostyukovsky, Russian Drama Theatre (Odessa)
1982 “The Stolen Happiness” by Ivan Franko, Maxim Gorky Moscow Art Theatre
1982 “The Rose Tattoo” by Tennessee Williams, Maxim Gorky Moscow Art Theatre
1983 “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy, the E. Vakhtangov State Academic Theater
1983 “The Liar” by Carlo Goldoni, N. Akimov Comedy Theatre (Leningrad)
1983 “Obvious and Unbelievable” based on A. Hite works, The Estrada Theatre
1983 “Little Demon”, the novel by Fyodor Sologub, Tallinn Russian Drama Theater
1984 “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” by E. Albee, The Sphere Theatre
1984 “Girls, your boy has come”, based on the play “Cinzano” by L. Petrushevskaya, Theatr- Studio “Moskvorechie”
1986 “The Columbina’s Apartment,” based on plays by L. Petrushevskaya, The Moscow Sovremennik Theatre
1987 “The Wall” by A. Galin, The Moscow Sovremennik Theatre
1987 “The Little tragedies” based on the works of M. Gorodinskii, The Estrada Theatre
1987 “The Sacred Monsters” by Jean Cocteau, Lesya Ukrainka Kiev Academic Russian Drama Theatre
1987 “The Deep Blue Sea” by T. Rattigan, First Moscow Region Theater (Chamber Theatre)
1987 “The Music Lessons”, based on plays by L. Petrushevskaya, Maxim Gorky Moscow Art Theatre
1988 “The Music Lessons”, based on plays by L. Petrushevskaya, Vilnius Russian Drama Theatre (Lithuania)
1988 “The Maids” by Jean Genet’s play, The Satyricon Theatre
1988 “Phaedra” by Marina Tsvetaeva’s, The Taganka Theater
1988 “Master and Margarita” based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel, Tallinn Russian Drama Theatre (Estonia)
1988 “Master and Margarita” based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, Vilnius Russian Drama Theatre (Lithuania)
1988 “The old Actress for the Role of Dostoevsky’s Wife” by Edvard Radzinsky, M. Gorky Moscow Art Theatre
1988 “The Black Canary” by A. Nicolai, First Moscow Region Theater (Chamber Theatre)
1989 “The Black Canary” by A. Nicolai, the M. Gorky Academic Theatre, Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod)
1989 “Our Decameron” by Edvard Radzinsky, M. Yermolova Theatre
1989 “Little Demon”, based on novel by Fyodor Sologub, The Moscow Sovremennik Theatre
1989 “The Slingshot” by Nikolai Kolyada, San Diego Repertory Theatre, San Diego, USA
1990 “The Lessons from the Master” by D. Paunella, E. Vakhtangov State Academic Theater
1990 “The Lady Without Camelias”, by T. M. Rettigen, E. Vakhtangov State Academic Theater
1990 “M. Butterfly ” by D. Juan, Roman Viktyuk Theatre (Moscow)
1990 “Little Demon”, the novel by Fyodor Sologub, Tallinn Russian Drama Theatre
1990 “Honey, How Much Poison Do You Want in Your Coffee?” by A. Nicolai, M. Gorky Drama Theater (Nizhny Novgorod)
1991 “The Slingshot” by Nikolai Kolyada, Padua Theatre, Italy
1991 “The Cathedral Clergy”, based on the novel by Nikolai Leskov, E. Vakhtangov State Academic Theater
1991 “The Rose Tattoo” by Tennessee Williams, The Swedish Theatre, Helsinki
1991 “The Maids” by Jean Genet’s (second edition), Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1992 “The Mystery of the Unborn Child” by S. Kokovkin, The Mossovet Theater
1992 “Two for the Seesaw” by William Gibson, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1992 “Lolita”, a play by E. Albee based on the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1992 “The Lady Without Camelias” by M. T. Rattigan, Lesya Ukrainka Kiev Academic Russian Drama Theater
1993 “Slingshot”, by Nikolai Kolyada, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1993 “Hell’s Garden” by R. Mainardi, Moscow Sovremennik Theater
1993 “I do not Know You Any More, Dear”, by Aldo de Benedetti, E. Vakhtangov State Academic Theater
1994 “Ferdinando” by A. Ruchello, St. Petersburg Youth Theatre on the Fontanka River
1994 “Oginski Polonaise ” by Nikolai Kolyada, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1995 “Love With a Fool” by V. Francesca, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1995 “Eleanor. Last Night in Pittsburgh, “based on the play by G. de Kyarra, A. Bryantsev Theatre for Young Audience (St. Petersburg)
1996 “Philosophy in the Boudoir” based on dialogues D.-A.-F. Sade, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1996 “Butterfly … Butterfly,” based on the play by A. Nicolai, The Satire Theatre on Vasilevsky (St.Petersburg)
1997 “The Fall Violins” by I. Surguchёv, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1997 “Putains” by N. Manfredi, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1997 “Sunset Boulevard” based on Billy Wilder’s film, Lesya Ukrainka Kiev Academic Russian Drama
1998 “Sunset Boulevard” based on Billy Wilder’s film Tallinn Russian Drama Theatre
1997 “Salome” by Oscar Wilde, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre (Belgrade, Serbia)
1998 “Salome” by Oscar Wilde, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
1999 “A Clockwork Orange”, based on the novel by E. Burgess, Roman Theatre Viktyuk
1999 “Spring Awakening,” based on the play by Frank Wedekind, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2000 “Antonio von Elba” by R. Mainardi, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2000 “Edith Piaf” by K. Dragunskaya, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2000 “Puss in Boots”, by Mikhail Kuzmin, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2001 “Edith Piaf”, the play by K. Dragunskaya, Riga Russian Drama Theatre
2001 “Master and Margarita” based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2001 “Our Decameron XXI” by Edvard Radzinsky, Ball Ast Theatre (Moscow)
2002 “Mary Stuart” by U. Slovatsky, Riga Russian Drama Theatre (Latvia)
2002 “My Wife’s Name is Morris,” by Roger Chartier, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2002 “Let’s have sex” by V. Krasnogorova, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2003 “Iolanthe” by PI Tchaikovsky, Krasnodar musical theater
2003 “Carmen”, the play by L. Ulitskaia, theater company “Ball Ast” (Moscow)
2004 “Rudolf Nureyev”, the play by A. Abdullin, Theatre Roman Viktyuk
2004 “The Pearl Fishers” by Georges Bizet, New Opera Theatre
2005 “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” based on the play by E. Albee, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2005 “The Letter Love of Don Juan,” based on the play by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt «Don Juan on Trial», Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2005 “Sergey and Isadora” by N. Golikova, The Theorem Production (Moscow)
2006 “Inscrutable Woman Living in Us” by H. Levine, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2006 “The Maids” by Jean Genet’s play (third edition), Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2006 “Little Matrimonial Crimes”, the play by G. Zapolskaya, Theatre-Media (Moscow)
2007 “The Smell of Light Tan,” based on the play by D.Guryanova, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2007 “Puss in Boots”, Theatre Roman Viktyuk
2008 “Eight Loving Women” based on R. Toma’s play and F. Ozon’s film “8 Women”, Roman Viktyuk Theater
2009 “Dream of Valentin Gaft, retold by Roman Viktyuk” based on play by V. Gaft, Moscow Sovremennik Theater
2009 “R&J”, based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2009 “Ferdinando” by A. Ruchello, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2009 “Dinner after the First Night” by V. Krasnogorova, Arkhangelsk Regional Drama Theatre named after M.V. Lomonosov
2010 «Goodbye, boys!” by B. Balter, Altai Regional Drama Theater named after V. Shukshin
2010 “King Harlequin” based on Rudolf Lothar, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2011 “Intrigue and Love” F. Schiller, Roman Viktyuk Theater
2012 «Requiem for Radames”, the play by A. Nicolai, The Satire Moscow Academic Theatre
2012 «Masquerade of Marquis de Sade” by Alexander Maksimov, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2013 “Glorious!” by P. Kuilter, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2014 “The Life and Death of Comrade K.” by Edvard Radzinsky, Helsinki City Theatre
2014 “At the Beginning and at the End of Time” by Pavlo Arie, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
2015 “Phaedra. The Mystery of the Spirit “, poetic drama by Marina Tsvetaeva, Roman Viktyuk Theatre
Films:
1976 “Evening Light”, a TV film based on the play by A. Arbuzov
1978 “Players”, a TV film based on the play by Nikolai Gogol. Cast: Alexander Kalyagin, Valentin Gaft, Leonid Markov, Alexander Lazarev, Vladimir Kashpur, Boris Ivanov, Vyacheslav Zakharov, Boris Dyachenko, Nikolai Pastukhov, Margarita Terekhova
1980 “I don’t find rest from love”, a TV composition based on the works of William Shakespeare “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Richard III ” “Antony and Cleopatra,” “Othello,” “Hamlet”. Cast: Margarita Terekhova and Emmanuel Vitorgan
1980 “History of the Chevalier de Griё and Manon Lescaut”, a TV film starring: Igor Kostolevsky, Margarita Terekhova, Alexander Zbruev, Gaft Valentin, Emmanuel Vitorgan, Yuri Yakovlev, Klara Belova, Boris Ivanov, Andrey Stepanov, Pyotr Smidovich Oleg Chayka, Yuri Gorin, Efim Shifrin
1982 “Girl, where do you live?”, A TV film based on the play by M. Roshchin “Rainbow in Winter”
1985 “The Long Memory”, a film about the pioneer-hero Volodya Dubinin, based on a story by L. Kassil and M. Polyanovsky
1989 “The Rose Tattoo” TV version of MXAT production by Tennessee Williams
1993 “Butterfly”, a documentary about film director Alexey Uchitel