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| Cate Blanchett among stars urging Russia to drop 'flimsy' charges against director | |
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| High-profile figures in the arts world have called on Russian authorities to drop a criminal investigation into a Russian theatre director. | High-profile figures in the arts world have called on Russian authorities to drop a criminal investigation into a Russian theatre director. |
| A petition penned by the director of Berlin’s Schaubühne theatre, Thomas Ostermeier, and the playwright Marius von Mayenburg calls on Moscow’s public prosecutor to drop “flimsy” and “politically motivated” charges against Kirill Serebrennikov, who is under house arrest over allegations of embezzling government funds. | A petition penned by the director of Berlin’s Schaubühne theatre, Thomas Ostermeier, and the playwright Marius von Mayenburg calls on Moscow’s public prosecutor to drop “flimsy” and “politically motivated” charges against Kirill Serebrennikov, who is under house arrest over allegations of embezzling government funds. |
| “The impression that Serebrennikov’s arrest is sending to the west is of a government scared of criticism,” Ostermeier told the Guardian. “And if you can’t stand criticism, that’s usually a sign of weakness.” | “The impression that Serebrennikov’s arrest is sending to the west is of a government scared of criticism,” Ostermeier told the Guardian. “And if you can’t stand criticism, that’s usually a sign of weakness.” |
| The petition has been signed by actors Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss, director Simon McBurney, artist Sophie Calle, novelist Elfriede Jelinek and playwrights David Harrower and Mark Ravenhill, among others. | The petition has been signed by actors Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss, director Simon McBurney, artist Sophie Calle, novelist Elfriede Jelinek and playwrights David Harrower and Mark Ravenhill, among others. |
| Moscow’s state prosecutor accuses the 47-year-old of having embezzled the equivalent of over $1.1m (£850,000) of government funds between 2011 and 2014. Serebrennikov’s supporters say the trial is used as a political tool to silence a director whose productions have openly criticised political conditions in Russia. | Moscow’s state prosecutor accuses the 47-year-old of having embezzled the equivalent of over $1.1m (£850,000) of government funds between 2011 and 2014. Serebrennikov’s supporters say the trial is used as a political tool to silence a director whose productions have openly criticised political conditions in Russia. |
| “The allegations fit the usual pattern by which unwanted artists are brought to a fall in Russia – not by censorship but under the pretext of easily spun charges of financial misconduct,” said Ostermeier, who has known and worked with Serebrennikov for over 15 years. | “The allegations fit the usual pattern by which unwanted artists are brought to a fall in Russia – not by censorship but under the pretext of easily spun charges of financial misconduct,” said Ostermeier, who has known and worked with Serebrennikov for over 15 years. |
| The director has described the case against him and his former colleagues as “absurd and schizophrenic”, and insisted that all the government money had been spent on theatre productions. In one Facebook post, he referred to a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was performed more than 15 times and nominated for awards. “Now the investigators tell us that it doesn’t exist and never did,” he wrote. | The director has described the case against him and his former colleagues as “absurd and schizophrenic”, and insisted that all the government money had been spent on theatre productions. In one Facebook post, he referred to a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was performed more than 15 times and nominated for awards. “Now the investigators tell us that it doesn’t exist and never did,” he wrote. |
| Serebrennikov is under house arrest until 19 October, during which he has to wear an ankle tag, isn’t allowed to use the internet and is only permitted to see close family members. | Serebrennikov is under house arrest until 19 October, during which he has to wear an ankle tag, isn’t allowed to use the internet and is only permitted to see close family members. |
| On 22 October he was due to direct a production of Hansel and Gretel at Stuttgart’s State Opera. The theatre said the production would go ahead in spite of the trial, thanks to a team the Russian director would send over to Germany. | On 22 October he was due to direct a production of Hansel and Gretel at Stuttgart’s State Opera. The theatre said the production would go ahead in spite of the trial, thanks to a team the Russian director would send over to Germany. |