Kherson Theatre returns to Pohoda with two powerful monodramas
The Mykola Kulish Kherson Regional Academic Music and Drama Theatre of Ukraine returns to the Pohoda Festival after previous appearances. At the 30th edition, it will present two evocative monodramas created in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, bringing deeply personal testimonies of war, loss, and resilience. At Pohoda 2026, the company will stage The Bird in the Attic and One-Day Hero.
20. February 2026
The Kherson ensemble continues to create and perform directly in their home city, which was occupied and still lives under the threat of shelling. Their productions rank among the most authentic artistic testimonies of contemporary Ukrainian experience, and serve as powerful reminders of the individual human stories behind the news headlines.
“For me, the Kherson Theatre is proof of the boundless strength of art and the importance of culture. Despite the city being under constant shelling, with streets covered by anti-drone nets and a terrifying daily hunt for people that the world has called a ‘human safari,’ performances still take place here every weekend, and workshops for children continue. The theatre has become an oasis of life, a centre of resilience, and a testament to how artists refuse to give up even in truly difficult times. I am proud that these extraordinary and inspiring people will also come to Pohoda,” says Michal Kaščák of the Pohoda Festival.
The Bird in the Attic
The monodrama The Bird in the Attic (70 min.) tells the story of a girl from Mariupol who, despite losing her home, being separated from her mother, and forcibly taken to Russia, has managed to preserve Ukraine within herself. She is about to turn fourteen — an age when the world should still feel safe and bright. But her reality has been shattered by war: the people who tore her from her family and razed her city now try to make her “one of their own.”
Yet the girl steadfastly holds on to her identity, language, and memories of home. Her inner world becomes a space of resistance that cannot be occupied. The production is also a reminder of the fate of thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia.
Author: Oleg Mykhailov
Director: Serhii Pavliuk
Performer: Mariia Shapochka
One-Day Hero
The monodrama One-Day Hero (80 min.) is based on the true story of a Kherson veteran who, after the beginning of the occupation, left the city and joined the ranks of the Ukrainian army. After being wounded at the front, he appears on stage to recount his life story — while also preparing to perform as an entertainer at a children’s party.
Before the audience’s eyes, his military uniform gradually transforms into a clown’s costume, and with it the atmosphere of the performance shifts — from raw wartime experience to irony, gentle humor, and moving interaction with the audience. This powerful personal testimony about war, memory, and returning to civilian life becomes a fragile celebration of humanity and the ability to retain empathy even after trauma.
Author and performer: Volodymyr Tuka
Director: Serhii Pavliuk
