PERFORMANCE: The Animals And Children Took to the Streets

Award-winning London theatrical company 1927 has come to Kiev at last with the unprecedented performance The Animals And Children Took to the Streets. 

 It all starts at the Bayou, a slum area where the poor and mostly wicked characters reside. In the cockroach-infested  Bayou mansions, where wolf is always at the door people are disturbed by wild, vicious kids so when a new sedative cure comes out everyone is certain it will make their life much easier. But is it possible that the true horrors are only about to begin?

The production is amazing combining cabaret inspired clothes, silent films' acting tips, animation and storytelling. Three actresses give the audience an effusive energy and excitement of the complex, utterly enchanting and provoking world. Here the women interact with animated characters and it's so thrilling!  It's also dark and surreal which makes it British to the core, particularly because of that very specific sense of humor which doesn't breed outside the UK.

Three screens as a scenery

‘A jawdroppingly clever and gloriously subversive parable… 1927 conjure a world so complete it feels as if you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole.’

The Guardian

Well, I couldn't have said it better than some Guardian smart-arse. 

ART: Madonna Plans To Start A Revolution

"I want to start a revolution. Are you with me?"

One hardly name a celebrity who has made such a number of revolutionary statements.  Addressing the Pope with "Papa Don't Preach", women's empowerment, supporting LGBT, the list could go on and on. She never stops, never doubts, never complains. She's Madonna.

Madge has been teasing us with her mysterious "secret project" for a while but now that it's online (finally!) I can't stop all the WOW's coming out of my mouth. For those of you who haven't seen the masterpiece a little introduction will follow. 

The singer's collaboration with a legendary Steven Klein became a 17-minute film or as I'd rather say a transcendent, beautiful and powerful imagery. Here Madonna explores the meaning of freedom and emphasizes how intolerance and violence are the destroyers of one's life and the world itself. It's intriguing, thoughtful and artful. 

"Economic markets are collapsing. People all over the world are suffering and people are afraid and what happens when people are afraid? They become intolerant, they start pointing the finger at other people, they say: «You're the reason, you're the problem, you're to blame, get out!». The enemy is not out there, the enemy is within".

Moreover, Madonna has launched Art for Freedom website - a global initiative aimed to support freedom of expression.

The last words I am going to say here is remember that a true revolution is the revolution of love not blood.

SOCIETY: Russia Today

I've been thinking a lot lately on what's going in Russia. I love its strikingly beautiful language, in fact, I always did, I've got few Russian writers, directors, actors, musicians, designers and etc. whom I admire completely and even though I've never been able to appreciate some of their ways now I feel entirely free to yell "Are you completely bonkers?!". Racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia disgust me thoroughly. Civilized society imagine some dreadful monsters living there so for all of you I tried to reveal a secret or two about that mysterious land of vodka, ear-flaps and bears.

Can you recall how many struggles had the West had before reaching the very point of understanding that freedom of speech as well as freedom of individual choices is an inevitable part of creating a «better place to live for us all»? Today Europe is clearly undergoing some kind of a mid-life crisis, deliberately trying to reevaluate certain choices and directions which may (I sincerely hope) eventually lead to some grand changes or even indicate the beginning of a new era. 

Meantime, thanks to notorious years of communism, Russia took a first bite of the apple from that Tree Of Knowledge when everyone else in the garden was full. No wonder, it's acting like a raging teenager now. I mean, we all have gone through that outrageous lifestyle choices, poisonous anger, disrespect for authorities and painful mood switches varying from god complex to self-loath. Are you going to tell an angry teen what to do and expect one to listen to “that bloody nonsense”? Generation gap is a tricky thing, didn't you know?

Sometimes they are walking on the edge, those kids, make your fists clench, your teeth grit but they do not understand why you are so concerned. Do what wise parents do – repeat every phrase up to 20 times a day, pretend like you remember what it is like not to give a f*ck what others might think and be a centre of the Universe, be consistent, patient, win their confidence, be harsh but don't let them down. I'm begging you, don't let them destroy their future, at least, for your own sake.

FASHION: Ladies Celebrate GQ Men Of The Year

GQ Men Of The Year Awards is just another chance for every female celebrity to become a charming scene stealer who gets all the applause. However, I wasn't entirely pleased with some looks, so I decided to stick with three of them. I particularly admired gorgeous Emma Watson for not only she has won the "Woman of The Year" but also has chosen an artful and quite risky piece of Baleciaga and guess what? Nailed it completely!

Emma Watson at GQ Men Of The Year Awards

Pure, simple and electrifying Versace dress looked simply stunning on red carpet. Perhaps, it's white colour and lack of embellishments of any kind that made it stand out (and look so damn classy!) but I'd go as far as to say that it's partly on Rosie's natural beauty.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley at GQ Men Of The Year Awards

Last but not least, comes sweet and alluring Alice Eve. I feel like I've been hugely underestimating peach colour all this time. 

Alice Eve at GQ Men Of The Year Awards

Hey, and cheers up for all those incredibly smart, divinely talented and absolutely handsome GQ Men Of The Year!