SHAKESPEAREAN PROJECTS IN THE THEATRE HISTORY OF ZHYTOMYR

The article presents the results of the search, identification, and systematization of Shakespearean projects in the history of Zhytomyr theatre, including original works by Zhytomyr theatres, touring performances, and translations of dramatic texts. This investigation was conducted as part of the large-scale activity of the Ukrainian Shakespeare Centre, which aims to collect and systematize information about the stage representation of William Shakespeare's works in Ukrainian theatres. The research aimed to create a detailed list of Shakespearean performances in Zhytomyr, explore postmodern interpretations related to them, and organize the information for an all-Ukrainian ongoing catalogue of Shakespearean performances. The authors undertook the following tasks: identifying and comparing sources regarding the theatre history of Zhytomyr, conducting archival and historiographic searches, and interviewing contemporary theatre professionals. These tasks were combined with a deductive method based on the study of facts, particularly to determine the language of the performances. The research demonstrates that from the very beginning of the history of stationary theatres in Zhytomyr, performances based on Shakespeare’s works have taken place on the city stage. Among the prominent theatre figures who contributed to the formation of Shakespearean discourse in Zhytomyr are A. Żmijowski, J. I. Kraszewski, I. Hołowiński, A. F. Aldridge, I. Kocherga, Boris Ten, V. Humenyuk, V. Martens and P. Avramenko. Plays presented on the Zhytomyr stage include "Hamlet", "Othello", "Titus Andronicus", "The Merchant of Venice", "Romeo and Juliet", "The Winter's Tale", and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Shakespeare's texts were performed (in chronological order) in Polish, Russian, English, and Ukrainian. The investigation highlights the role of Shakespeare's texts in introducing the Zhytomyr audience to the context of world classics, reveals the challenges of staging performances during the ideological dictates of the Soviet era, and demonstrates the prospects for modern interpretations of the classics.