Theatre of Azerbaijan

Broadly famed national scenes such as “Kosa-kosa”, “Garavelli”, “Shah Selim”, “Kechal pahlavan”(Bald-headed strong), “Jeyran khanim” (Mrs. Jeyran), “Maral oyunu” (Deer's game), “Kaftarkos” (Hyena), “Khan-khan” (Ruler and judge), “Tapdig choban” (Shepherd Tapdig) and “Tenbel gardash” (Lazy brother) were of great importance in formation of national Azerbaijani theatre.

“Kilim arasi” (Out of carpet) puppet theatre, in spectacles of which ugly appearances of everyday life, social inequality and injustice were ridiculed, is an ancient type of Azerbaijani theatrical art.

The second spectacle – “Haji Gara” (Miser's adventures) - another comedy by M.F.Akhundov was displayed on the hall of Baku Public Assembly, on April 17, 1873.

[7] “New education” newspaper wrote on August 17, 1884: These days, amateur theatregoers of Shusha displayed a spectacle in the native language for the third time for a charitable purpose.

Initially, “Mastali Shah”, comedy, then “Haji Gara”, and yesterday “Vizier of Lankaran Khanate” were staged.

[8] By the end of the 19th century, spectacles in Azerbaijani language were staged in province cities such as Nukha, Ganja, Shamakhi, Nakhchivan and others.

Repertoire of pre-revolutionary theatre consisted of works of Azerbaijani playwrights (M.F.Akhundov, N.Vazirov, H.Vazirov, N.Narimanov, A.Hagverdiyev, J.Mammadguluzade and others), and also Russian (N.V.Gogol, I.S.Turgenev and L.N.Tolstoy) and western European classics (W.Shakespeare, Schiller and Molière).

Such spectacles as “Agha Muhammad Shah Qajar” by A.Hagverdiyev (1907), “Blacksmith Gave” by S.Sami (1908), “Robbers” (1907); “Deadmen” by J.Mammadguluzade (1916), “Othello” (1910), on which actor and director H.Arablinski had a great success and arts of who was penetrated by revolutionary and romantic inspiration, were significant events in the history of Azerbaijani theatre.

Along with these, stage versions of classic literature (“The Overcoat” by N.V.Gogol, “The little house in Kolomna”, “The Tale of the Priest and of His Workman Balda” by A.S.Pushkin, “The Grand Inquisitor” by F.M.Dostoyevski, “The Mask”, “Pharmacist” by Chekhov and others) were included into its repertoire.

One-acted scenic images to poems such as “Leyli and Majnun” by Fuzûlî and “Farhad and Shirin” by Navai were displayed in 1897-1898, in Shusha and in 1901-1902, in Baku.