I love life so much!

The play, where teenagers work side by side with professional actors, tells us how easy to help HIV positive people, who live next door, how easy to support them and about difficulties of making choice, counter to family and friends and to remain a human.

The idea of the play was born during the preparation of the program on HIV/AIDS, conducted by the ANTIAIDS Foundation within the framework of children festival “Let’s change the world to the better” in Artek in June, 2005. That time the play was performed by children from Artek camp in the Artek Palace Su-Uk-Su. In spite of the lack of production means, the play impressed audience and young actors. The impression was so big that actors took the play home. Main part of the “troupe” that time were children from “German” group, teenagers of Russian speaking Germans, who live in Germany. They renewed the play in Berlin, playing it for their friends and parents.

In 2006 founders of the play decided to renew it in Kiev. The play has become more eye-catching due to real theater lighting, modern music, outstanding stage effects and choreography. However, a lump is still in everyone’s throat, when the eternal sonnets of Shakespeare are heard in stillness and twilight of the auditorium, reflecting feelings of young heroes of the story.

The play was intended not as once-only agitational project, but the real theater play. Students and professionals come out on the stage 2-3 times a month, without any allowances for age and status, to meet their audience – Kiev’s schoolchildren and their parents. The most unexpected part of the play is the final. It doesn’t exist… Instead of usual bows and applause the cut down play turns out into interactive discussion with the audience. It is a pity that parents can not hear their children during these discussions. The joke comes to mind: “Is there a sense to talk to kids about love and sex? Of course, there is! You will discover lots new things!” Those, who are considered as “kids” by teachers and parents, often express their thoughts very mature and emotionally. On 20 of May, people, who were directly affected with HIV/AIDS, took part in play discussion.

The first performance of the play took place in 2006, March, 29. Since the premiere the play was seen by 500 teenagers and their parents. We hope the play has changed the attitude of children to people living with HIV/AIDS.

“Playbill”:

I love life so much!
(stage composition in one act)

Characters in the play and actors:

Chorus – students of Kiev’s Children Academy of Arts and Children Theater-Television Studio “Talant”

For detailed information, please, contact Pavel Piminov, Communications Director, Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation on e-mail: [email protected]. Contact phone number: +38 (044) 490 4805.