Moscow’s State Theatre of Nations has cancelled two showings of play Fairy-tale about the Last Angel starring famous Russian actress Liya Akhedzhakova, aged 84.
The theatre’s website says that the showings planned for 26 and 27 April were cancelled due to “technical issues”.
The showing of the same play was previously cancelled in St. Petersburg. Media outlet RBC notes that this was the last play in Russia starring Akhedzhakova.
At the beginning of April, Moscow’s theatre Sovremennik confirmed that Akhedzhakova no longer worked there. The administration claimed that the actress resigned by her own choice.
Back in March, the actress herself confirmed her resignation to Novaya Gazeta. She added that she planned on touring by herself.
At the beginning of February, Sovremennik pulled play The Gin Game starring Akhedzhakova in the main role. The actress said that the theatre’s director Yuri Kravets called her and said that he had been forced to cancel the show because of piles of angry letters addressed to the actress. Akhedzhakova herself noted that she received support from the audience and got flowers after each performance, as well as people thanking her for her public stance against the war in Ukraine.
In December, another play starring Akhedzhakova was postponed in St. Petersburg due to “repairs at the theatre”, Akhedzhakova told Novaya Gazeta Europe. The same show was cancelled in Moscow earlier for reasons unknown to Akhedzhakova.
Liya Akhedzhakova is known for her anti-war stance.