In 2022, Kyiv Academic Theater "Koleso" opened its 35th theater season on Andryiyvsky descent.
Kyiv Theater "Koleso" was founded on May 28, 1988 by Iryna Klishchevska (manager, art director, director, actress). Since 2008, the theater has been granted "academic" status.
The theater occupies a prominent place in the context of the theatrical art of Ukraine, is an integral part of the cultural life of Kyiv and the ancient Podil, a favorite place of rest for Kyiv residents of all ages and guests of the capital.
The team works in the aesthetics of a chamber theater on 4 stage areas: the main stage, the stage in the theater cafe, Fireplace Hall I and Fireplace Hall II. Since 2010, the Theater Salon has been operating in the premises of the theater, where exhibitions, musical and creative evenings take place.
The theater`s current repertoire includes 37 performances of various genres: dramas, tragedies, comedies, musical comedies, vaudeville, unerground, farces, detectives, musicals, monodramas, documentary dramas, plays for children. The Kyiv Academic Theater "Koleso" opens up to the audience new modern ukrainian and foreign drama, trying to include new or forgotten plays of prominent playwrights that are not performed in other theaters of Ukraine. One of the main creative tasks of the theater is decorated with names of world, domestic and contemporary playwrights: Jean Anouy, Thomas Artst, Stepan Vasylchenko, Francis Weber, Yves Jamiac, Pedro Calderon, Emilio Carballido, Natalka Kolomiets, Agatha Christie, Mykola Kulish, Ken Ludwig, Felix Mitterer, Jean-Baptiste Moliere, Slawomir Mrozhek, Johann Nestroy, Olena Pchilka, Panas Saksaganskyi, Nadia Simchich, Sophocles, Yaroslav Stelmach, Oscar Wilde, Dario Fo, Roland Schimmelpfennig, Arthur Schnitzler.
Among the directors are ukrainian directors: Iryna Klishchevska, Maria Grunicheva, Volodymyr Petranyuk, Vitaly Sementsov, Ihor Slavynskyi, Volodymyr Sud`in, Anatoly Sukhanov, Leonid Titov, Vakhtang Chkhaidze, as well as foreign ones: Yavor Binev (Bulgaria), Pierre-Jean Valentin (France), Dimo Dimov (Bulgaria), Emmanuel Koutsourelis (Greece), Neil Fleckman (USA).
Great attention is paid to the creation of a bright acting ensemble. Among the actors are those who have been working since the day of its foundation (May 28, 1988) - Oleksandr Biryukov, Valentina Boyko, Halyna Zrazhevska, Oleg Lepenets.
The "Koleso" troupe is well-known and famous all over the world. The theater made festival and tour performances in Poland, Bulgaria, USA, Romania, France, Albania, Serbia, Belarus, Turkey, Lithuania, Latvia, Macedonia, Scotland, Armenia, Israeil, etc. During its existence, the creative team visited 75 international theater festivals, where it won the favor of the audience and critics, and received many prizes and awards. The theater team has repeatedly received the "Kyiv pectoral" theater award.
The "Koleso" theater is the founder and organizer of the International Theater Festival "Slavic Meetings" (1994), the International Festival of monodramas "Echoes" (since 1999), the International Theater Festival "Podiya" (since 2008), the International Theater Festival of Chamber Performances AndriyivskyFest (since 2017) and its two formats ("Ukrainian" (2018), "Independents" (2019)).
For 35 years, the "Koleso" theater has managed to win the love of ordinary viewers and the affection of professionals.
Kyiv Theater "Koleso" was founded in 1988 by Iryna Klishchevska (art director, director, stage director, actress). In 2008 the Theater "KOLESO" had the academic status. The theatrical group works on three stages: the main stage, the stage in theater’s café and the stage with a fireplace.
The "Koleso" works in the aesthetics of chamber theater. The spectators are within arm’s reach from the stage and this creates a specific atmosphere demanding detailed actor’s gesticulation, facial gesture and psychological actor’s role. An increasing attention is paid to creation colorful cast where everyone is an integral part. The theater is constantly searching "new" dramaturgy, renewing forgotten plays of Ukrainian dramaturgy and finding new names in theatrics.
The group’s bill contains more than 30 performances. The repertoire of the theatre "Koleso" is with varied genres and consists of classics (″Lady–ghost″ by P. Calderon, "The Imaginary Invalid " by J.- B. Moliere, "A Month in the Country" by I. Turgenev, "The Affairs Bygone" by J. Nestroy, "Flirtation" by A. Schnitzler) ,
contemporary dramaturgy ("Push up 1-3" and "Golden Dragon" by R. Shimmelfennig, "Caucasian Roulette " by V. Merezhko, "The scandal with the public" by P.Khandke, by "Planet Portrait" F. Durrenmatt), Ukrainian dramaturgy ("Shantrapa" by P. Saksahanskiy, "Emma" by J.Stelmah.based on the novel "Madame Bovary"by G. Flauber ", "Clacecin play" by J.Stelmah, "Night of love" based on the play "Don’t sing cocks, don’t shorten night" by S. Vasylchenko, a folk play "Vecornytsi") and foreign dramaturgy ("Generals in skirts" by J. Annui, "The Taming of the Shrew" by Franzobel, "Mozart’s women" by F. Mitterer, "Primadonnas" by K. Ludvig).
Kyiv Academic Theater "Koleso" is a founder and an organizer of International theater festival of mono-performances "Vidlunnya", International theater festival "Podiya" and theater festival "Slavonic meetings".
The most part of play’s staging is realized by people’s artist of Ukraine Iryna Klishchevska. The directors from Ukraine, Bulgaria, USA, France and other countries are also invited for cooperation.
The theater’s group takes part in the International theater festivals ("Black Sea" Turkey, "Bila Vezha" Brest, Byelorussia, "Actor of Europe"
Macedonia 2004, "Fringe Edinburg" Scotland, "BGMOT 2006" Bulgaria, "Armmono" -2004 Armenia, "Albamono 2006" Albania, "Drama Forum" Poland, "Perperykon" Bulgaria, "Dialog" Sweden and others) and art projects staging performances together with International theaters ("Shapito -Fatrazi" France, " Racho Stoyanov Gabrov theater " Bulgaria, etc.)
The group of the theater actively cooperates with International cultural funds, and Embassy of Austria (Austrian Cultural Forum), Germany (Goethe-Institute), Sweden, Switzerland (ProGelventsia), France, etc.
The group has been on tour in Poland, Bulgaria, USA, Rumania, France, Albania, Serbia, Belorussia, Russia, Turkey.
For the purpose of development and extending of radio play was organized the cycle of plays on base of European dramatists ("European intellectual dramaturgy of ХХ century")
Since 2010 within theater’s door has been functioned the theater salon where exhibitions of Ukrainian artists, bards’ concerts and cultural meetings with well known figures have taken place.
The theater uses two languages (Ukrainian and Russian )
Theactivity of the theater is widely covered on the television, radio and in mass media.
Iryna Klishchevska is a graduate of National University of theatre Art (now it is Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television) of Karpenko-Kariy. In 1981 she got a degree of drama director. In 1988 Iryna Klishchevska founded a unique chamber theatre "Koleso"("The Wheel"), where she played and staged mere than 20 plays. Among them are classicsof Ukrainian and foreign dramaturgyand plays of contemporary theatre.They are "Generals in skirts" by J. Anui, "Lady-Ghost " by P.Calderon, "Shantrapa" by P.Saksaganskiy, "Emma" by J.Stelmah, a folk play "Vechornitsi" by Zhilinska and Klishchevska, "Scandal with the public" by Peter Handke, "The Affairs Bygone" by J.Nestroy, "Month in the Country" by I. Turgenev,"Mozart’s women" by F. Mitterer etc.
In 2009 Iryna Klishchevska was awarded with a title of People's Artist of Ukraine. Due to the high professional artistic skills of IrynaKlishchevska “Koleso” has gained world recognition and was positioned among the best theatres. IrynaKlishchevska,is not only a talented director but is an extraordinary actress and a master of the stage. Her stage characters impress with deep and unique psychological picture. She is known for detailed interpretation of a complex women character. For each heroIryna finds some specific bright detail in order to bring out the individuality of each character. She is a wide range actress of stage abilities. Her characters often balance between being funny and tragic.
Artistic path of Iryna Klishchevska and the theatre, which she has been running for 26 years, always has had a great response in mass media as well as in the community in Ukraine and abroad. The name of this unique and extraordinary woman is known among spectators and theatre professionals in Russia, Poland, Romania, France, Scotland, Austria, USA and other countries.