Written in 1918, The twelve is the poem in which the symbolist poet Aleksander Blok expressed his ideas on the Bolshevik revolution. He tells of the long march of the twelve (like the apostles) Bolshevik soldiers through the streets of Saint Petersburg, while a very strong winter wind rages around them.
The young theatrical director Anton Okonsechnikov has studied a new, original language with which to present Blok’s poem to audiences. The show is the result of a programme of international exchange, aimed at young stage professionals, conducted by the Alexandrinsky of Saint Petersburg with the students of the Theatrical Academy of Limoges, but the version that is coming to Milan will see the young actors of the Alexandrinsky Theatre alongside the students from the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts. The protagonist of the show is the city of Saint Petersburg - Petrograd. Okoneshnikov, the artist Elena Zhukova and the video artist Maria Varakhalina have created a setting which makes the audience feel “immersed” in the show, while the sound design created by Daniil Koronkevich and Daniil Grigoryev recreates the authentic “feel” of Saint Petersburg in the auditorium.


The Russian seasons in Italy
It is a particularly solid relationship that unites the Piccolo with the Russian theatres of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
The Piccolo’s shows find, in Russia, a cultured and attentive audience, characteristics which are also reflected in the Russian language productions proposed in our three auditoriums. The Piccolo has been collaborating with the Alexandrinsky Theatre since 2006 and was invited to participate in the Festival which celebrated the 250th anniversary of this historical institution, whose current architecture was designed in 1832 by the Italian Carlo Rossi.
The Maly in Saint Petersburg, directed by Lev Dodin, and the Maly in Moscow, are regular visitors to our stages.
On the occasion of the 2018 edition of the Russian Seasons Festival in Italy, promoted by the Russian Ministry for Culture, Milan and the Piccolo seemed to be the ideal location for the theatrical section of the event.
The Teatro Strehler and Studio Melato will see the staging of three productions by the Alexandrinsky Theatre of Saint Petersburg - one of which has been written and directed by its director, Valerij Fokin - and a production by the Vachtangov State Academic Theatre of Moscow. From 27 November to 1 December, at the Chiostro Nina Vinchi, in the areas of the Piccolo and the School of Theatre, there will be meetings, exhibitions, conferences and in-depth studies dedicated to the authors, directors, and the extraordinary history of Russian theatre.