SOSO Daughters

Les filles Soso à Avignon

Gorbas Natalia, Irteneva Iana, Konstantinova Alena, Lukina Uliana, Makhova Elena, Matveev Nikolai, Shushlebina Irina, Skirina Iuliia, Speranskaia Svetlana, Tsigal-polishchuk Marietta, Vorokhobko Daria

Three plays by Zhenya Berkovich, previously unseen in France, performed by her troupe, SOSO Daughters

July 4–8: «Our Treasure»
Once upon a time, a child was born. The Magi travelled to him with a gift set containing everything needed for the first few months of life (which could be exchanged for a a payment of 20,000 roubles); sheep made their way to him, and a donkey kept him warm with its breath. And his parents loved him dearly.
Meanwhile, Herod decreed that all infants should be killed. It all began with a census, but we all know how it ended.
This is a Christmas parable with angels, Bethlehem cops, talking animals and loving mothers. Songs are sung and poems are recited.
The play conveys a very simple idea in the most accessible way: birth is a miracle; every person is a miracle.

July 10–15: «Rhyme»
This is the story of two thirteen-year-old girls left to fend for themselves in the midst of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. In a remote Georgian village, only children, senile old people, the disabled and helpless women remain. Everyone is waiting for the ‘corridor’ to open, but it doesn’t, and there is practically no hope of rescue.

July 17–21: «Decreation»
In 1942, when the world, as it is today, was torn apart by news about war, violence and the fatal dehumanization of humanity, the French political philosopher Simone Weil went on a partial hunger strike. After learning about the conditions of prisoners in German concentration camps, she limited her daily ration so that it did not exceed the daily ration of prisoners.

Live your long and happy life, Our dear friend. Let us hope King Herod's time Never comes to end.

Company presentation

An independent theatre project created in October 2018 by director and playwright Zhenya Berkovich.

SOSO Daughters is a theatre with an all-female cast. SOSO Daughters is a theatre built on the unquestionable principles of targeted and socially responsible art, and direct and honest communication. A theatre where empathy, an attentive and respectful view of others, compassion and care for others form an ethical and aesthetic manifesto. We believe that theatre has the power and the duty to change the world for the better.

www.sosodaughters.com

Zhenya Berkovitch - Director

The troupe’s founder, Zhenya Berkovich, was sentenced in 2024 to six years’ imprisonment in a penal colony for staging the play ‘Finist the Bright Falcon’, based on a play by Svetlana Petriychuk. Svetlana was also sentenced to six years. They are currently both serving their sentences in different penal colonies across Russia. The performance ‘SOSO Daughters in Avignon’ also provides an opportunity to tell the global theatre community the story of the ‘theatre case. We thank every member of the audience who came to the performances. The programme for ‘SOSO Daughters in Avignon’ will feature three performances: ‘Our Treasure’, ‘Counting Rhyme’ and ‘Decreation’, as well as an exhibition showcasing costumes and other items from the production ‘Finist, the Bright Falcon’.

Alexander Plotnikov - Metteur en scène

Director of the performance “Decreation”

Tamta Melashvili - Author

Author of the book "Rhyme"

Alexander Ebanoidze - Translator from Georgian

Translator of the book "Rhyme"

Distribution

With the support of Doc Humain
Lighting Designer Elena Perelman
Choreographer Elizaveta Muravyova
Composers Mitya Burtsev, Olga Shaidullina
Performers Zhenya Rzheznikova, Ksenia Sorokina, Artem Tarasenkov
Actresses Natalia Gorbas, Iana Irteneva, Alena Konstantinova, Uliana Lukina, Elena Makhova, Julia Skirina, Ira Sova, Svetlana Speranskaia, Marietta Tsigal-Polishchuk, Daria Vorokhobko
Singer and vocal actor Nikolai Matveev

Production

Production Alexander Andrievich

In the press

"Two “Golden Masks” during the 2020–2021 season for *Finist, the Luminous Falcon*, sold-out performances, and enthusiastic acclaim from critics and audiences alike: all of this has made *Les Filles SOSO* a must-see event on the theater scene."

London Cult.

"The performances by “Les filles SOSO,” which are both socially engaged and philosophically insightful, demonstrate that Russian theater can exist outside the usual hierarchical structures and, in doing so, gain in significance, relevance, and timeliness."

The Blueprint

"Berkovitch’s play is a hymn to the intrinsic value of every human life—a hymn that is at once desperate and poignant, funny and absurd, tender and moving. It is a farce, a comedy, a clown show—but behind these elements lies a profound and poignant tragedy, as well as true poetry."

La Revue théâtrale de Saint-Pétersbourg