An Outstanding Collaboration: A Fusion of Artistic Expression and Emotional Connection

Everything started when Savva Lagashkin (actor) suggested producing an avant-garde performance with Alina Mishnina (actress). At that time, they were both in Saint Petersburg, so it was obvious that the Chernyshevskaya neighbourhood and the art space "Kabare Shum" were the right choice for the collaboration because of their authentic and cultural background.

Savva Lagashkin is a second-generation actor who graduated from the University of West London, where he participated in productions such as "Fatherland" and "Macbeth." In "Fatherland," Savva had the opportunity to portray an older British man, requiring him to undergo physical and vocal transformations in terms of appearance, quality, and accent. Additionally, in "Macbeth," he took on the challenge of playing three distinct characters, each with their physical presence and rhythm. This experience pushed him to explore and refine his abilities as an actor.

Alina Mishnina is an Irkutsk-born actress who has participated in various acting courses and workshops to pursue her dream of becoming a theatre actress. Her impressive portfolio is a testament to her dedication to the theatre, acting, and choreography, with notable collaborations such as Nurgul Kunarbayeva's Art Exhibition "Other Places" and Georgii Kobiashvili's choreographic production "Mental Fight". In these and many more, Alina pushes her standards and experience to explore new ways of acting craft, designing characters with a deep understanding of their personality and story.

Both creatives concentrate on deep psychoanalysis to experiment and explore characters and their transformations, gaining a deeper understanding of their psychological makeup, motivations, and the essence hidden within the text and the plot.

However, what was more challenging was the concept and the plan to mix theatre dynamics with music. Both actors agreed that music was something that would enhance the whole production. This is where theatre composer Sergey and "fingerstyle" guitarist Maxim Yarushkin joined the crew.

The incredible talent of both musicians led to the final steps to finish an already great written sketch of the whole performance. Max's talent and his ability to use various modes while seamlessly transitioning from ascending to descending patterns, and Sergey's dedication to creating compositions that become rather a tool enabling the listener to perceive the passage of time and dive into the diverse structures of frequencies and sonic connection with rarely used modes and melodic patterns.

Sergey Filippov is a theatre composer and sound designer. He has written music for more than 10 theatrical works staged at a number of Moscow theatres, including productions based on plays by Shakespeare, Camus, and Rostand. According to Sergey, he draws inspiration from the ancient Indian music of the Dhrupad, a musical tradition he studied under the guidance of Indian masters Pelva Naik and Bahauddin Dagar. The key principle of Dhrupad, which he seeks to implement in his work, is an unhurried and restrained unfolding of the musical canvas, where the musical composition becomes a kind of tool, like a microscope, through which the listener can perceive the movement of time and the subtle nuances and changes in their perception within the given sonic structure.

Maxim Yarushkin, a talented guitarist born in Novosibirsk and later based in Saint Petersburg, has established himself as a prominent figure in the music industry. Since his move to Saint Petersburg in 2015, he has built a successful career, captivating audiences with his performances at popular venues. In addition, Max has taken his expertise online, sharing his knowledge and skills through his YouTube channel, GoFingerstyle, where he teaches the art of "fingerstyle" guitar. He is a skilled musician whose dedication to the acoustic sound sets him apart. While he has released various records, it is his compositions, such as "I Am Home" (2020) and his LPs, like "Acoustic Covers #2" and "Artybash" (2020), that showcase his virtuosity and enrich the music industry.

On January 30, 2022, these 4 artists presented their debut avant-garde street performance, "White Nights," in the backyard of Kabare Shum in Saint Petersburg. Savva Lagashkin and Alina Mishnina captured the audience's attention with their pauses, dialogues, and rhythm. Their connection between each other and dynamics. Max layered his acoustic patterns on top of Sergey's abstract noises to establish the proper path between viewers' consciousness and the performance.

No one in the audience expected such a turn as the whole performance was set outside where the stage was the city's architecture and its history, cultural references from Dostoyevsky and Pushkin, and the ambience of Russian culture that was enriched by the experimental performance and score created by Savva, Alina, Max, and Sergey.

It is the amalgamation of these diverse art forms that creates a unique and captivating fusion, fostering the development of art and offering an honest and vibrant array of artistic expressions for both artists and audiences alike.

Here at Artservatory, we eagerly anticipate what the future holds for four exceptionally talented creatives, who are currently making waves in their respective projects. We invite you to follow their social media accounts to show support for their artistic endeavours and join us in witnessing the remarkable art they will bring to life. Stay tuned for their upcoming works as they continue to enrich the world of art with their unique perspectives and creative visions.