Vadim Demchog. New play "Goat's Face"

Hello everyone,

My name is Vadim Demchog. I’ll be honest — the performance we plan to draw you into doesn’t exist yet, and neither I nor anyone else knows exactly what it will become. Those familiar with my previous projects such as “Frankie Show,” “Mr. Freeman,” “Transmission From There,” “The Greatest Show on Earth,” “Arlequiniade,” “School of Play,” and “Close Your Eyes and See” already know that every one of my projects is an experiment. And that is the only thing that can be stated with certainty right now.

The performance “Goat’s Muzzle” (Kozya Morda) is not a typical theatrical production. It’s more of a ritual form of magic. Undoubtedly, it is the “last line of defense” of the creative spirit in the battle between modern man and a society where all concepts are torn apart and overturned, where no true guardians of meaning remain.

The dramaturgical basis for this bloody ritual spectacle is Alexander Ostrovsky’s play “The Snow Maiden.” This tragic story — cruel yet written with incredibly gentle poetic language — is centered on the theme of sacrifice. And it is precisely this idea that will be at the heart of this extraordinary performance. The Troupe of Goat-Legged Fauns finds meaning in their artistic sacrifice by reenacting a plot incomprehensible to cold intellect — a myth about the harsh and internally heated struggle to attain love, the very force that binds together a crumbling human society.

There’s a famous quote attributed to Hitler: “Anyone who paints the sky green should be sterilized.” And apparently, that’s the kind of mindset shaped by our times. Today, the spirit of creativity must be sterilized, because it cannot exist without tearing through the fabric of lies, distortions, and manipulations that hold society’s models and laws together. In this context, what the Troupe of fertility gods (Fauns and Satyrs) is preparing is nothing short of a full-fledged crime — one that the Creative Principle must commit against the falsifications of modern public life. And if the Creative Principle fails to commit this crime, it will cease to exist. In that sense, the modern artist is a total criminal — one who, without doubt, must be destroyed or castrated.

To make this performance a reality, we need funding — primarily for rehearsals and venue rental, as well as music composition, costume sketches, and set design. At least 700,000 is needed for the initial phase. But that’s only a fraction of what the full project requires. Continued work will involve producing actual sets and costumes, developing special effects, and for that we’ll need to raise around 1,500,000.

If we raise more than the stated campaign goal, the extra funds will go toward the next stages. But all big things begin small — and we invite you to join us on this grand journey. Support the project — with donations, sharing, or any other way — and step into the Game!

Vadim Demchog is a Russian theater and film actor, doctor of psychology, educator, and the creator of original projects for radio, television, the internet, and theater. Around 20 years ago, he gained public attention with a series of charismatic projects, including the “Frankie Show” on Silver Rain Radio, the web series “Mr. Freeman,” “The Greatest Show on Earth” on the Culture Channel, “Transmission From There,” and many others. He has written over 350 scripts and five books, and developed the concept of “The Self-Liberating Play,” which merges global theater theory and practice with transpersonal psychology. He won over Russian audiences with several film roles — most notably as Dr. Kupitman in the TV series “Interns.” Today, he leads the theatrical-educational initiatives “Arlequiniade” and “School of Play.”

— Vadim Demchog and the “Arlequiniade” Theatre