A few months before the larger-scale protests erupted in Georgia, I closely followed a TikTok discussion about Cabaret, the iconic Broadway musical. Theatergoers and trend followers argued in the comments. Part of the community was highlighting the political and social reflections of the play – The meaning and not the aesthetics – while others were simply lip-syncing to the famous songs and arguing that not everything needs to be political.
This debate sparks a crucial question: Should Theatre be political or should it just be an aesthetic getaway from all the troubles of the real world? An online debate over the purpose of art found a powerful reflection in the streets and theaters of Georgia. Here theatre is not only political, but it became one of the main actors/activists in ongoing pro-European protests.
Protest on Stage
The stage of Georgian theatre has been a vocal critic of the steps of the Pro-Russian Georgian Dream ever since the protests against the “Foreign Agents Law” later rebranded as “Transparency Law” – legislation adopted by the Georgian government from Russia which aims to discredit free media and NGO sector in Georgia and demanded they would declare themselves as agent of foreign interests if they received more than 20% of their funding from foreign source.
Actors and directors turned the stage into a protest space, holding banners and making statements—turning activism into tradition.
“No to Russian Law”; “Power is In Unity”; and “Go Vote”, - are only a few of those strong messages echoing from the stage to the audience, continuing the plays reflecting the socio-political reality of Georgia.
“I am on Strike” – A Harbinger of Change.
On the stage by day and Rustaveli Avenue by night—this was the routine life of the Georgian theatre from the October 26 elections, which was followed by protests, until the beginning of December, when up to 10 independent theatres went on strike following the statement of Irakli Kobakhidze, PM of the Georgian Dream party, declaring the suspension of negotiations on EU membership until 2028.
“I AM ON STRIKE” - bold white letters on the red background flooded social media. Now the audience was cheering for their favorite artists not only for their talents but for standing by and supporting independent civil society.
This became the first large-scale workers’ strike during this protest and portrayed a strong example of unity and power to the public. Independent theatre came together as one, left the stage, and became a full-time activist.
Tbilisi, December 5, 2024 – Vaso Abashidze New Theatre’s actor, Andro Chichinadze was taken from his home and arrested under criminal law, He is accused of participating in group violence.
“If Andro Chichinadze is a terrorist, then consider that, first and foremost, the entire theater community is terrorist as well," said the artistic director of the New Theater, Davit Doiashvili in his comment for Mtavari Arkhi.
The arrest of Chichinadze began a new wave of protest in the theatre community. “Freedom for Andro and all the prisoners of the system”, - a chain of online videos once again flooded social media. Following online protest, New Theatre, alongside the theater community began collecting signatures demanding Chichinadze’s release and offering to stand as guarantors for him. Despite hundreds of signatures, the court decided to keep the actor in custody.
On his trial Chichinadze recalled the novel by Franz Kafka The Trial and expressed the sameness of the ongoing trial to the one described by the author – “I was reminded of Josef K., a character from Kafka, who is on trial but has no idea what is happening to him. This novel is about uncertainty. The book itself is about the feeling of uncertainty. I always wondered how this feeling could come to life in practice, and somehow, it happened—it’s quite strange”, - said Chichinadze.
IN TYRANNOS – National Theatre Day March
Tbilisi, January 14, 2025 – National Georgian theatre day – artists and audience against tyranny.
This day marked an unparalleled date on the calendar of the Georgian theatre protest. Theatre and audience united as one once again vocally presented their resistance to the Georgian Dream’s regime and demanded new elections and freedom for all prisoners of the system.
The New Theatre, as a symbol of “imprisoned culture,” was the starting point of contemporary resistance for thousands gathered together, while the chosen destination was the Rustaveli Theatre—a representation of the Georgian theatre’s first struggle against the regime and the symbolism of a celebrated Georgian theatre director, Sandro Akhmeteli’s dedication.
The banner inscribed with In Tyrannos is directly linked to Akhmeteli—during the Soviet era, he draped a poster of this production, a critique of authoritarian power, over the portraits of the then-leaders displayed at the Rustaveli Theatre. As a result, the regime sentenced him to execution during Stalin’s Great Purge.
However, today, Rustaveli Theatre is affiliated with the ruling government and is at threat of losing its status as a symbol of the fighting core.
“We will now hang this banner on the façade of the Rustaveli Theatre, where it once stood. We are restoring the tradition and committing that this will happen every year on January 14th, Georgian Theatre Day” - stated director Mikheil Charkviani in his public speech. “In Tyrannos” once again became the face and name of culture resisting totalitarian powers.
"Chase the Georgian Theatre“ – The New Theatre Manifesto
The artistic director Davit Doiashvili on the stage in front of Vaso Abashidze New Theatre presenting the New Theatre Manifesto
"Today the troupe of the Vaso Abashidze New Theatre, and me, its artistic director, Davit Doiashvili, demand a review of yesterday’s ruling, which has been appealed by the lawyers of this very theatre’s actor, Andro Chichinadze, and his release no later than January 20 of this year.
Considering that, to this day, no evidence has been presented—because none exists—that would confirm his criminal offense.
If our demand is not met, we will move from passive protest to action, and you will see the true power of art!
We promise you: you will never see an obedient theatre!”– declared Davit Doiashvili on January 11, 2025, in front of the New Theatre building in front of the public and turned on the timer for the regime to make a decision. Chichinadze was kept captive. On January 23 this decision was followed by New Theatre Manifesto.
"We are starting the New Theatre Manifesto. Standing here was not our choice. We did everything we could to find a way for dialogue, solely with the Prosecutor’s Office – first, we recorded videos, stopped performances, then we gathered signatures, and the whole theatre, the entire Georgian culture stood behind the people […] The Prosecutor’s Office ignored this and told us that we do not exist, that we are not important, and that we do not matter at all.
They darkened everything. Once again, I tell you, no matter how much you darken the whole city, the lights will turn on on the stage, and there we will be, and we will win…”, - declared Doiashvili while standing on the protest stage in front of the New Theatre and announced that they were starting a tour in the regions, planning to talk to the people and spread information through art.
“Everyone will join us. We will spread out across all the regions. Chace Georgian theatre, chase!”, - stated Doiashvili.
Manifesto built on the motifs of the iconic Musical I’ll Swim Across the Sea is now on its fourth region visiting Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, and Ozurgeti, and nowhere near the end. Actors, alongside Doiashvili, present their manifestos. Each, focuses on Georgia’s socio-political issues, demanding new elections and freedom for political prisoners. They take their message to the people, spreading it through the work they love—art.
Georgian theatre is a testament to the enduring relationship between art and resistance. Theatre reaffirmed its role as more than just an art form. It became a platform for blending performance with protest. The question of whether theatre should be political found its answer in action—where art and reality met in a powerful call for change. And just like in Cabaret, where the stage mirrors the chaos outside, the Georgian theatre community reminds us that art not only reflects reality—it has the power to transform it.
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