THE SPATIAL COORDINATES OF THE METADRAMATIC POETICS OF ULAS SAMCHUK’S PLAYS

Abstract

The article delves into Ulas Samchuk’s plays through the lens of metadramatic poetics. Metadrama, a prominent theatrical and dramatic trend of the 20th century, deals with the self-reflection of the theatre both as a creative space and as a philosophical metaphor for the universe. Within the numerous techniques and methods of metadrama, this study examines the metadramatic reinterpretation of artistic space. Ulas Samchuk was a passionate theatregoer, tracing dramatic trends in world and Ukrainian literature, which affected his own dramas.
The primary focus of this analysis lies in discerning the specifics of artistic space within Samchuk’s plays. Among the metadramatic techniques evident in his works are elements of anti-theatrical discourse (as seen in “The Victim of Pani Maya”) and the staging of a courtroom proceeding as a form of cultural performance (presented in both “The Victim of Pani Maya” and “One can hear the noise of the Millstones”). Additionally, the image of radio serves to intermedially double the portrayal of stage reality.
In the one-act play “Listen! Listen! Moscow is speaking!”, we witness a conflict of topoi becoming artistic metaphors for opposing ideologies. The play’s space experiences a metadramatic division through the layering of geographical and metaphysical topoi. These include the conventional industrial city where the protagonist, Professor Chortomolov, resides; mythologized Europe; Moscow depicted as an ideological superspace; Kharkiv as a symbol of the traumatic past that the characters do not want to return to; and Crimea, which evolves into a realm of virtual confrontation among multiple utopias.