All-Ukrainian "Mystetska Trybuna (Artistic Tribune)" Fortnightly (1930–1931): Special Features of Critiques About Theatre

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to characterise the social and aesthetic platform of “Mystetska trybuna (Artistic Tribune)” fortnightly and to identify the main structural elements of its content, permanent genres and thematic priorities of the materials on its pages. The research methodology includes systems approach, comparative, classification and content analysis methods. Academic novelty. The article for the first time frontally analysed all the materials of republican “Mystetska trybuna” fortnightly; the place of theatrics on its pages was determined; the dynamics of changes in the structure of numbers is traced and the rating of theatres among workers, elements of its content, permanent genres and thematic priorities of materials on its pages were revealed. Conclusions. “Mystetska trybuna” was the official publication of the Trade Guild of Artworkers (“RobMys”); this explains the anti-aesthetic, ideologically sharpened and industrial and technological specificity of the views of its authors on art, primarily, theatre (65 percent of materials). The most popular in the magazine were: the leading article; the polemic column “Our Tribune”; cadres; the literary page; the chronicle, and the feuilleton. The genre of interview was presented only in the first issue. The publications covered only those performances, which was based on the works of contemporary Soviet authors; the magazine presented a lot about the participation of agri brigades in the sowing campaign, about the workers’ and peasants’ and amateur theatres. The “Bibliography” section did not find a response from readers. At the same time, the “Signal” section (scandalous and criminal chronicle of the theatre) expanded. Despite the biased attitude of editor-in-chief D. Hrudyna to L. Kurbas, the number of publications about “Berezil” exceeds the number about any other theatre ensemble, which testifies to the objective activity of this theatre in the reconstructive processes of that time. Almost the same as about “Berezil” and Ivan Franko Theatre, the rating of publications about Odesa Theatre of Revolution and the First Drama Theatre (Taras Shevchenko Drama Theatre) makes us clarify the idea of the circle of the leading theatres of the early 1930s.