Tbilisi Puppet Theatre prepares for new home

One of Tbilisi's most unique theatre companies will soon move into a brand-new performance space in Georgia's capital after being without a home since 2011.

This week the Tbilisi State Puppet Theatre announced work had begun to build a new theatre for the puppet company, which has been hosting performances since it established in 1934. The new venue is an initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia.

The theatre company's former building was closed in 2011 after falling into a state of disrepair, meaning the puppet theatre was forced to find temporary locations for rehearsals and performances in the capital city.

Watch this short video made by the Tbilisi State Puppet Theatre about their new theatre below:

The new theatre project was supported by Tbilisi City Hall and was expected to take two years to build. Once construction is completed, the theatre company will move to a "larger and more comfortable" building in 2018, theatre staff told Agenda.ge.

As a continuation of the puppet theatre's attention to visitors with disabilities, the new venue will fully adapted for people of all needs, they said.

The new theatre is a short walk from it's current home and will be larger than the current space, meaning more people can enjoy its shows. The new venue is located at 136 Aghmashenebeli Ave.

The street recently underwent a major restoration project to revitalise that part of the city. It's expected Aghmashenebeli Ave will become part of Tbilisi's restored historical tourist route, thanks to the New Tiflis project.

Since leaving the old theatre building, the puppet theatre has hosted shows at the Muza Cultural Centre at 2 Kus Tba Street in Tbilisi.

A rendering of the new Tbilisi State Puppet Theatre building. Image from the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia's press office.

Established in 1934 by People's Artist of Georgia Giorgi Mikeladze, the puppet theatre held its first performance in May that year.

As no productions for puppet theatre existed in Georgia at the time, the company's first show was based on a Russian play.

The first Georgian production followed in the mid-1930s with the piece titled Glutton, which was seen by 40,000 people over 200 shows.

Sketches for the maiden stage designs were made by Georgian modernist painter Petre Otskheli, while the puppets themselves were made by Mikheil Sarauli.

Over decades the theatre's shows grew in popularity with the Georgian audience and it soon became an iconic part of Tbilisi cultural life.

The theatre company was always popular in its home nation but in recent years it has gained global recognition after taking part in international festivals and theatre contests.

The awards received by the Tbilisi State Puppet Theatre included the Grand Prix at the 2015 Unima International Festival of Puppet Theatres in Yerevan, Armenia for its play based on the famous Georgian children’s story The Lullaby's Power.

Traditionally known for its productions aimed at children, the theatre recently announced a new initiative to present shows about more adult themes such as social issues faced by disabled people. The initiative was spearheaded by the venue's recent production Before the Prince Kills Himself, which included interviews with marginalised community groups who shared stories of their hardships and experiences.

The troupe also paid homage to the human and animal victims of the June 13, 2015 flood in Georgia’s capital city with a special production.